The Long Way Round
by LadyDarkwind
Summary: A few months after Yu Die's death, Wen Tian and Wu Dao are still traveling together. Meanwhile, in her time, Yao Yao has graduated college and has become an expert on Nan Yue. She and her father approach a mysterious businessman who owns property on which they think an important Nan Yue burial site lays. Will Wu Dao ever find peace and will Wen Tian and Yao Yao ever reunite?
1. Chapter 1

***Author's Note***

Good Evening, my lovelies! I know it's been a long time since I posted, but life has been insane! Well, for those of you who are unfamiliar with Holy Pearl, it is the live action Chinese adaptation of InuYasha. If you have not seen it, I recommend that you do so before you read this. We pick up our story about two months after the events of the show. I truly hope you enjoy this!

***End Note***

Chapter 1

Jiu Gui stood in the Dragon Clan's throne room, adjusting for the hundredth time the unaccustomed weight of the crown on his head. _How did I get here?_ He thought to himself. _I never wanted this position, and the one who did handed it to me of his own free will. The only other who has the right of blood succession doesn't want it either and follows his brother wherever he goes._ Jiu Gui sighed heavily, _I just hope you're safe, wherever you are, Wu Dao. At least you have Wen Tian with you to protect you. I only hope that some day I will be able to return this crown to you, my lord._

Wen Tian stared after his brother sullenly, rain dripping from the end of his nose. "Wu Dao. How long are we going to walk like this? It's pouring rain out here. We should find somewhere to rest." His brother stopped abruptly, standing perfectly still in the cascading rain.

"You want to rest?" Wu Dao turned slowly, his face locked in the same frozen mask of cold disapproval and loneliness and his white hair plastered to his cheeks and neck. "We have only been walking for three days. You should not be so tired."

Wen Tian scowled at him, "I didn't say I'm tired. I just object to the constant soaking. Whatever. You want to slog through the rain and the mud for who-knows-how-long, it's your sodden feet, not mine. You're the one who's been doted on for all these years; I've had to live rough, so wet feet don't bother me. I was only thinking maybe you'd like to get out of the cold and rain, but whatever. It's up to you, after all. I'm only following you…"

"Fine," snapped Wu Dao. "If it means that much to you, then we'll find somewhere." The older Dragon paused for a moment with his head cocked to one side, as though listening intently for something. After a long moment, he turned onto a path to his left, striding down it so quickly that his brother had to jog to keep up.

Wen Tian smirked to himself. It had always been easy for him to get to his brother's temper, and the events of the last few months certainly hadn't improved the former King's temperament any. Wen Tian refrained from sighing heavily. Ever since the death of Yu Die, Wu Dao had seemed even less prone to emotion than before. If Wen Tian hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he never would have believed that the powerful Dragon Lord had fallen in love – let alone with a human girl. The most concerning change that Wen Tian had noticed was the look in his brother's eyes. There was now constant regret and longing there where there had been nothing but ice before. Wen Tian shook his head. _I just wish this lesson hadn't come at the cost of Yu Die's life. She changed him so much, and yet she was with him for so short a time. I wish she was still here. Then he might be a bit less cranky, at the very least._

Just then, a Monarch butterfly fluttered down out of the trees to perch on one of Wu Dao's horns. The Dragon Lord froze, hardly daring to move. Slowly and with great caution, he reached up and held out his right index finger for the beautiful insect. Obediently, it fluttered from it's favored perch and onto Wu Dao's finger. Distantly, Wen Tian heard a gusty sigh escape his brother's chest. Wu Dao placed the butterfly in the shelter of his cloak at the base of his neck and continued on as though a man carrying a butterfly on his neck was the most natural thing in the world. The odd thing was, for Wu Dao, it _was_ perfectly normal – the butterfly was no ordinary insect. Rather, it was the spirit of his most beloved Yu Die. Wen Tian smothered a smile behind his hand and sloshed through the rain after his brother.

After a few minutes more of sodden misery, Wu Dao paused in front of a deserted shack. "It isn't the most _luxurious_ of quarters, but it will keep the rain off of us," he mused.

Wen Tian put a hand on his brother's butterfly-free shoulder, "It's more than enough," he said. "You forget that I lived rougher than this for most of my life."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulder – the movement hardly more than a twitch – his expression otherwise remaining unchanged. It was incredibly rare for the Dragon Lord to show emotion of any kind, be it humor, anger, or love – the latter being the most rare. Wen Tian hadn't seen his brother's expression change since Yu Die's death a few months before. Not only had Wu Dao not made any signs of progress after the loss of his beloved, but he seemed to be getting worse. But then, Wen Tian thought he could understand his brother's reaction. _After all,_ he thought, _I haven't been the same since Yao Yao left, either. Her decision to leave left me just as hollow and empty as Wu Dao. I don't think I'll ever get over her, either. It's almost worse for Wu Dao. I never thought he'd fall in love with_ anyone _, let alone a human. Well, we'll see how things turn out. I can't just leave him alone. And besides; it's not like I have anywhere to go, either._

Wu Dao glanced over his shoulder at his brother, "I am going to get some fruit. You start a fire." Wen Tian nodded, saying nothing. The pair spoke little, if at all. Traveling together was still a bit odd for them, given that until recently they had tried to kill each other every time they saw each other. Glancing in the direction his brother had taken, Wen Tian took out the odd little box Yao Yao had left with him and pressed the side of it, like she had taught him. A sudden light filled the small shack and her face winked suddenly into view on the box. Wen Tian's heart thumped painfully in his chest at the sight of her face. With one hand, he gently traced the shape of her face, a deep and desperate longing twisting his gut.

Wen Tian cleared his throat and wiped a tear from his cheek as he glanced around the small room to see what he might use for kindling. Luck was with him, it seemed; with very little effort, he found enough kindling and sufficiently dry wood to start a respectable fire that was large and warm enough to dry another stack of wood for later use. It seemed that the shack Wu Dao had discovered had been used by travelers before. The previous travelers had considerately left a stack of cut wood near the front door for the next traveler to come along, and Wen Tian resolved to do the same.

Just then, Wu Dao returned. Glancing around, he nodded slightly as he shrugged out of his traveling cloak, hanging it near enough to the fire to dry. Wen Tian stared out the window at the rain, his expression downcast and clouded. Wu Dao watched his half-brother for a moment before sighing heavily, "You miss her very much, don't you?" He asked quietly.

Wen Tian looked up in surprise that his brother had spoken to him at all let alone initiating the conversation. His surprise faded quickly as he studied his brother's nearly-emotionless expression. After nearly two months of traveling with him, Wen Tian had begun to read his brother's expression with more accuracy. Where he had once seen distance and a dispassionate lack of caring, now he saw loneliness and bone-deep sorrow. He supposed that he and his brother had never really understood each other, but Yao Yao and Yu Die had done their level best to draw the two closer together and get them to see each other as brothers for the first time in their lives. Raising n eyebrow and echoing his brother's sigh, Wen Tian nodded, "Yes. I miss her very much. Most days, I find it difficult to breathe, let alone wake up every morning. I find smiling to be all but impossible now."

Wu Dao nodded in understanding, "I feel the same way," he confessed quietly. "Most days I wish I could die so that I could be near to her. But...She wouldn't want that." Wen Tian stayed very still and watched his brother silently – he felt that his brother was trying to make some kind of breakthrough. The Dragon Lord sighed again, "I don't know what I would do if it weren't for you," he all but whispered.

Wen Tian would have thought he'd been hearing things if he his brother hadn't looked pointedly away from him and picked uncomfortably at the hem of his cloak. He smiled slightly after a moment, reaching across the fire to lay a hand on his brother's wrist, "That's what family is for," he said softly. "Even if we can't stand each other most of the time."

A humorous glint sprang into Wu Dao's eyes, which was the closest to laughing the man ever came. The only time Wen Tian had ever seen his brother smile, in fact, was when Yu Die asked him to with her dying breath. "Well, don't let it stoke your ego. Here," he said roughly as he shoved a pair of peached at his brother. "This is all I could find."

Wen Tian smiled and bowed his head respectfully, "These will be more than enough. Thank you. It's a lot better than starving." Wu Dao inclined his head in gracious acceptance of his brother's thanks, and the two fell into a thoughtful silence, neither speaking for the remainder of the night until they went to sleep, both deep in their own memories.

The next morning, the rain had stopped; the brothers packed up their sleeping rolls and the few things they had brought with them. Wen Tian had woken earlier than his brother and chopped some fresh wood from large branches that had fallen over the years, which he stacked by the front door to replace what they had used. By early afternoon, they had made it to a nearby village. Without a word, Wen Tian glanced pointedly at a vendor selling various dried meats and shooting Wu Dao an inquisitive look. Wu Dao nodded and the pair of them strode to the vendor to purchase what they needed. The man greeted them pleasantly enough until he actually _looked_ at them. " _Mogui_ ," He whispered – Demon.

Wen Tian and Wu Dao bristled at the word. The Dragon Lord's hand twitched, a violet glow emanating from his clawed hand. Wen Tian laid a cautioning hand on his brother's forearm before holding out his hands in a peaceful gesture towards the vendor, "Peace, friend. We're just looking for some provisions. As soon as we have what we need, we'll be on our way. You have nothing to fear from us."

The man trembled but snatched at the coins the half-demon offered to him, stashing them quickly into his pouch and shoving an amount of dried meat, fruit, and nuts at the two of them (which Wen Tian thought was rather too much for the money he'd given the man) and shoved the half-demon away from his stall, "There. You have your food, now leave and _never_ come back."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow at the man but let it go, as Wen Tian was already a good distance away. As they headed further into the village, a crowd of people began to gather around them, whispering angrily amongst themselves. A few of the braver souls began to call insults to them, and one foolhardy young man even threw a piece of rotten fruit at Wen Tian's head. Wu Dao's hand snapped up and caught it before it struck his brother and turned to the man, a quiet anger beginning to simmer in his eyes. The man rubbed his hands on his robes, looking distinctly nervous but plucked up his courage anyway, "We don't want your kind here, _Mogui_. Go back to whatever pit you crawled out of."

Wu Dao made to approach the man, but Wen Tian grabbed him around the chest and restrained him. "I understand," he said quietly, "We were just passing through anyway. Please. Just let us by, and we'll be gone before the sun begins to set."

From behind them, and angry man bellowed, "That's what they always say right before they burn villages down." Angry cries of agreement followed his words, "No. We can't let these _things_ leave alive so they can come back with more of their kind! They'll feed our children to their people and take our women for their own twisted uses. Just look! That one clearly has human blood in him." The anger of the crowd grew as they took a closer look at Wen Tian.

Wu Dao tried to take a step forward, but his brother restrained him more tightly, "Please. We just want to go on our way. We have no one to bring. Please." Suddenly from behind, the man sounded a war-cry. Faster than a breath, Wu Dao had sprung into the air and rolled backwards over his brother's shoulder, landing on his feet and facing their attacker – just in time for the spear the man was holding to pierce his chest. " _Wu Dao_!" Cried the half-demon.

The man holding the spear froze in terror. "Wu...Wu Dao? You're...you're Wu Dao? The Dragon Lord?" Wu Dao said nothing. Instead, he straightened and yanked the spear first from his chest, then from the man's grasp. "Wait...I...I'm sorry. I didn't realize. I thought...I thought you were just a demon..."

Wu Dao curled his lip in disgust, "Then you should have asked first, shouldn't you?" Without another word, he lunged forward, plunging the pilfered spear so deeply into the man's gut that it burst out his back, leaving the man gasping and sputtering as blood bubbled from his mouth before he collapsed to the ground. "Now. My brother and I wish to pass," he said calmly and the crowd parted easily before them.

Wu Dao continued on as though nothing more than a mildly interesting argument had broken out, leaving his brother to follow after him, glaring. "Why did you do that?" he asked in a hissing whisper, "It barely wounded you, and we both know it. You didn't have to kill the man."

The Dragon Lord made to answer when a sound of feminine despair rent the air behind them. Turning in mild surprise, Wu Dao watched as a heavily pregnant woman rushed from a nearby house and rushed – as much as her belly allowed – to the side of the man on the ground who still lay gasping. She wept over the man as he tried weakly to stroke her hair. Wu Dao watched in bemusement as the woman bent over the man's failing body, her screams of denial and pain filling the air and silencing the growing crowd around them. Wen Tian watched with amazement as first soul-rending pain, then sympathy flitted across his brother's eyes.

Without so much as the twitch of a muscle to change his expression, Wu Dao crossed to the pair and knelt near the man's body. "Woman. Why do you weep?" He asked with genuine curiosity in his eyes.

The woman glared back at him, "He is my husband," she said as though challenging the Dragon Lord.

Wu Dao's brow furrowed as though he was trying to grasp something. "And that means...what, exactly?"

The woman stared at him for a moment, uncertain if he was mocking her. "It means...It means he is mine, and I am his. He is my person for the rest of my life, and I am his. We support and love each other more than anyone else. We raise our children together and grow old together. And in the end, one of us will watch the other die and hold them as they go."

As the woman spoke, Wu Dao's expression changed to one of such immense pain that the woman reached for him instinctively. The moment her hand touched his, tears spilled over and ran down his cheeks. Jerking away from her, he stood and took hold of the spear that was still embedded in the man's gut, freeing it with a mighty tug. Tossing the weapon aside, Wu Dao knelt beside the man and held his hands over the wound, a faint purple glow emanating from them. After a moment's concentration, he nodded slightly and reached into a pouch at his hip. Wrenching the mortally wounded man's head off the ground, Wu Dao shoved a round pellet roughly into the the man's mouth and forced him to swallow it.

Wu Dao's brow furrowed again as his expression changed again to one of surprise as he reached up and wiped the tears from his face. Standing, he offered a hand to the heavily pregnant woman and helped her to her feet. "After three days of rest, he will be in perfect health. You have my word."

The woman burst into tears and flung her arms around Wu Dao's neck, causing him to freeze in discomfort. He stood awkwardly for a long moment until the woman released him. "I'm sorry. You don't seem like a man who is given to emotional displays. I just...I'm just so thankful to you, and relieved that my husband won't be dying today." Wu Dao nodded haltingly and turned on his heel, striding away from the woman. "You lost someone, didn't you?" The woman's words froze him in place. What was her name?"

Wu Dao turned slowly to the woman, his eyes so full of love and loss and heartache that the woman's eyes filled with tears again. "Yu Die," he said in a near-whisper. "Her name was Yu Die." Without another word, Wu Dao walked away, leaving the villagers in stunned silence.

Later that evening as they made camp, Wen Tian glanced over at his brother contemplatively. "You saved that man's life today."

Wu Dao looked up from his task and nodded, "Yes."

"Why?"

Wu Dao's brow furrowed again, "I...I'm not sure," he said haltingly. "I understood her pain. I feel it myself every day that I have to force myself to breathe without her. I wouldn't wish this pain on anyone," he finished quietly with an aching loneliness in his voice.

Wen Tian nodded, "I understand. This whole emotion thing is new for you. Still. I'm proud of you...For what it's worth."

Wu Dao stared at him for a moment with a calculating look in his eye. "Thank you. It means...More than I expected."

Wen Tian smiled and stood to cross to his brother. Laying a hand on Wu Dao's shoulder, he said softly, "Father would be proud, too."

Wu Dao stood and looked his brother in the eye. "Ah. Good night, then," he said awkwardly. The two spoke not a word to each other for three days after the incident at the village.

***Author's Note***

Phew. Well, I hope you're ready for another wild and twisting ride, my dears! This one is bound to throw you through a few loops. ^_^ I'm truly enjoying the creative process on this one. It's providing a welcome rest from my other projects I have going on - I needed a bit of a kickstart for my creativity, I suppose! Well, thank you as ever for reading, my lovelies. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	2. Chapter 2

***Author's Note***

Good Afternoon, lovelies! I hope you're enjoying this so far. ^_^ Goodness knows I am. This next chapter focuses on Yao Yao and what she's been up to in the seven years since she left Nan Yue. Enjoy, dear ones!

***End Note***

Chapter 2

Yao Yao widened her eyes to keep from nodding off as she sat through yet another lecture explaining who she was and why she had been asked to come and stood as the Professor introduced her as the leading expert in all things Nan Yue. Yao Yao forced the usual smile on her face and stood, crossing the stage to where the Professor stood, leading the room in applause. Some of the students had leaned forward to get a better look at her. Over the last seven years, Yao Yao had graduated college and her reputation had quickly grown until she was the leading expert in Nan Yue. Yao Yao bowed respectfully to the Professor and thanked him for his kindness, "Nan Yue was a really fascinating time in our history," she began. "They really weren't that different from us; if I could appeal to your imaginations for a moment...The people who lived in the Nan Yue era weren't really all that different from us today. They lived very similarly, actually. They loved, made families, argued, fought, and died just like we do. Their homes were, admittedly, far simpler than ours and their technology wasn't nearly as advanced as ours, but they still managed to make things happen in a good amount of time, despite the fact that they did everything by hand back then." Turning towards the projector that filled the entire wall behind her with its opaque images, Yao Yao began her presentation. "Now, these are a few of the items that we have recovered most recently..."

A number of hours later, Yao Yao walked off of the campus grounds, stretching her back and rolling her neck. _I am so sick of lectures. If I'd known they came with the Doctorate, I would never have bothered to get one – even if I_ _ **did**_ _manage to get one faster than is usual. Still; that's only because I_ _ **lived**_ _in Nan Yue for so long. Of course, I can't actually_ _ **tell**_ _anyone that, or they'll think I'm crazy._ Yao Yao sighed heavily to herself and took a much-crumpled picture out of her pocket. To the casual observer, it appeared to be a photograph of a young man at some cosplay convention or other, dressed in ancient garb and boasting a handsome pair of horns. Bu Yao Yao knew better; the young man in the picture was none other than Wen Tian, the younger half-brother of Wu Dao: King of the Dragons. _I can't believe it's been seven years,_ she thought. _It still feels like yesterday that I decided to leave him and come back to my dad._ Her expression clouded with sadness, _I wonder sometimes if I made the right choice. I'm not convinced if I'm being honest._

Yao Yao paused for a moment to decide where she wanted to have lunch when her phone buzzed in her pocket. Pausing, she pulled it out and smiled when her father's face winked onto the screen. Pressing her finger to the fingerprint scanner on the back of the phone, Yao Yao tapped the notification quickly and popped open her father's message. "Let me buy you lunch. I have a proposition for you," the message read.

Yao Yao smiled and quickly tapped back, "If it means I don't have to do one of these presentations for a while, I'm sold," was her reply. She stashed her phone quickly in her back pocket and rushed off to meet her father at their favorite lunch spot in Shanghai. _I wonder what Daddy needs to talk to me about?_ She thought to herself. _Maybe he's found something interesting?_ With eagerness and anticipation hastening her steps, she made it to the restaurant in record time. Taking a quick glance around, she saw her father sitting at a large corner booth with files, papers, photographs, and maps spread out over the table with a small space that had been kept clear for tea. Smiling, Yao Yao shook her head, _How very like you,_ she thought, stifling a chuckle.

Crossing the restaurant, she called softly to her father. His head shot up, a glazed look in his eyes that indicated his level of concentration. It took a moment for him to return to the present, but once they did, he stood and called, "Yao Yao! Come, sit here. Your Daddy has a good surprise for you today."

Grinning, Yao Yao slid into the booth after giving him a quick kiss on the cheek and poured herself a cup of tea from the pot that seemed to be floating precariously on a sea of papers. She took a fortifying sip of the steaming liquid and turned to her father, "So. What was so important that it couldn't wait until tonight?"

Professor Ding smiled sheepishly. "I know. I get a bit carried away, but...I really do think you'll want to see my research. I think...I think I found the tomb you told me about."

Yao Yao's eyes popped wide and she leaned forward, "What? You _did_!? Aw, I miss _all_ the good stuff! Where is it!?"

The professor smirked at his beloved daughter and reached across the table to point at a map with red marking all over it. Leaning in to see what he was looking at, Yao Yao nodded, "Yes. Yes, I think this might be the place. It looks familiar, but it's just so hard to tell. It's been 3,500 years since I was there, so I can't be sure."

Professor Ding smiled fondly at his daughter. "I'm glad that you recognize the spot. This country is just so large...There are a lot of places to look. That's not all...I have more news of Nan Yue. I was on a dig recently and we found...Well, we found something that I didn't expect. You might want to steady yourself for a moment." Yao Yao nodded and took a deep breath as her father reached again, digging a moment before taking out a photograph that he kept face-down. With a look of apprehension, he turned the photograph over and slid it towards his daughter. "We found this mural on the wall of a grand hall. I think it may have been used by the Dragon Clan, but I can't be sure. I..." Glancing at his daughter, the Professor fell silent at the look of sorrow and longing on her face.

Yao Yao stroked the picture with a trembling hand, feeling tears well in her eyes. There, on the wall of some hall somewhere, was her face. It was a well-done painting, too; she easily recognized herself in the ancient painting, and she knew it was _not_ Xian Yue, but herself. But what caused her chest to constrict painfully was not her face, but rather the faces around her. Directly to her left stood Wen Tian – her beloved half-demon. She choked back a strangled sob as she stroked his face longingly. It took her a long moment to notice the other faces. Directly to her right was Yu Die and on _Yu Die's_ right was Wu Dao, wearing the half-smile he used to have when looking at her. Yao Yao's hands trembled as she touched Yu Die's face, "She was such a sweet girl. It broke my heart watching her die. Poor Wu Dao; she was the only thing that had ever made him happy. I can only imagine what he was like after I left. I wonder if he's still alive somewhere," she muttered to herself.

Her father smiled, "To hear you talk about it, your time in Nan Yue almost seems like a dream to me."

Yao Yao smiled sadly, "Who would have known that someday I would miss Wu Dao almost as much as I miss Wen Tian? If I could just _see_ him, it wouldn't feel quite so dreamlike. Some days I question my sanity, and then you bring me something like this and I feel a little better. How can feelings as strong as this be a dream, after all?"

Professor Ding smiled sadly at his daughter, "You know, I know exactly how you feel. I felt exactly that way after your mother died. I thought perhaps my time with her had all been nothing more than a dream, and then you would walk into the room. It is natural for us to feel like this when we've lost someone – especially in your circumstance. But then, I think yours is a bit… _unique_."

Yao Yao nodded, "I miss him so much, Daddy. It hurts so much. I should never have left him there. I should have stayed, or I should have brought him here with me…I don't know. But leaving him behind was the worst decision I've ever made. I say 'decision', but it wasn't that. It was running away. I ran away from love, Daddy, because I was scared. What a fool I was." She sniffed loudly, her throat closing on the last word, causing her voice to crack.

Professor Ding put an arm around his daughter, "Now, now. Don't cry anymore, dear. Daddy will make it all better if he can. If it's fate, you two will find each other again. Love is never in vain, my dear. Even lost love has an effect on the people who have loved. I am not the same man I was before I met your mother, and when I met you I changed yet again. Don't worry, dear. If Wen Tian is still alive in our time, I will find him for you – if I can."

Yao Yao laid her head on her father's shoulder, taking a deep breath and wiping the tears from her cheeks. Just then, the waitress came over and offered Yao Yao a stack of napkins before asking kindly if they were ready to order, or if they would need more time. Professor Ding smiled and ordered Dim Sum, which had comforted his beloved daughter since he could remember. When their order arrived, Yao Yao had composed herself. Digging in, she glanced at her father, "So, if you know where the tomb is, when do we leave? Soon, I hope? I'm tired of giving lectures. I want to go on a dig again! And if you're right…I want to see it again. I want to see just how much it's changed from back then."

Professor Ding paused as he chewed for longer than was strictly necessary, "Ah," he said once he had swallowed, "About that. There's a bit of a problem with that."

Yao Yao cocked her head, curious. "What problem? Is it a site in Korea or something?"

Professor Ding shook his head. "No…Well, not _only_ that. But the problem is…Well, it's owned by a private party."

Yao Yao froze, "It's privately owned? By whom?"

"That's the thing," he responded. "Nobody really knows. All I could find out is that the property is owned by a pair of brothers who are known to be pretty powerful businessmen. There's not really a lot of information about them; I couldn't even find their names. All I know is that their company is called Dragon Holdings. There are no pictures, background information… _nothing_. All I know is what I've heard – you don't want to cross them if you want to live."

Yao Yao frowned, "So, just walking up to them and asking for permission isn't a good idea, then?"

Professor Ding shook his head, "No, I don't think so. I was thinking about trying to set up a meeting with them. I think we could make a good case, but I'd need your opinion on my research. I am _an_ expert on Nan Yue, but you are _the_ expert. No one knows more about that era than you do. I think if we went in together, we'd have a better chance of getting this cleared. I've had my assistant trying to contact their office, but she is always getting an assistant and we never hear back."

Yao Yao nodded, "I'll see what I can do. In the meantime…don't you have another dig we can go on, just so I can work the rust out of my joints? Something? _Anything_?"

Professor Ding laughed, "Yes, I believe I have something. There's a forest where they've found quite a few Nan Yue artifacts. I thought you and I might go there. It's also privately owned, but we already got permission to poke around there, as long as we leave the forest untouched."

"Who owns the forest?"

The Professor shrugged, "I'm not sure. It's some kind of foreign government holding. I tried to ask questions, but I got all sorts of trouble for it. It was a 'be grateful we're letting you on the property at all,' sort of thing."

Yao Yao chuckled, "Three and a half thousand years, and government hasn't hardly changed at all. It still works just the same, even like it did back then. Okay. Let's spend time in the forest. It's been a long time since I was a forest. This should be fun!"

***Author's Note***

Hehehe. This is shaping up quite nicely, I think. I'm really loving where this story is going. I'm hoping that this will be one of the best I've written yet! But then, that's really subjective, isn't it? Well, thank you as always for reading. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	3. Chapter 3

***Author's Note***

Sorrym, lads and lasses! I'm trying to be as consistent as I can, but life being what it is and all...Well, anyway. I doubt this will ever reach so much as 100 views, but I don't mind overmuch. As long as this story brings some joy to these dark times, I won't be overly bothered by a low read count. Please enjoy, my darlings.

***End Note***

Wen Tian and Wu Dao stood looking out over the vast expanse that was Nan Yue Kingdom, the late afternoon sun glinting off the lakes and rivers below. They had not returned to the kingdom since the Holy Pearls had been collected, but now that Yu Die's death anniversary was nearing, Wu Dao felt himself being drawn to it. With a heavy sigh, Wu Dao began to descend the mountain on a narrow and winding path that led eventually to the borders of Nan Yue. Wen Tian sadly watched his brother walk down the path for a moment before following. With every step it seemed that their feet grew heavier and their thoughts darker. Wu Dao said nothing, refusing to so much as _glance_ at his brother while they walked.

Wen Tian could all but see the images of Yu Die flashing across his brother's memories. After many hours of silent trudging, a nearby shrill child's scream rent the air, causing the brothers to freeze and stare in the direction of the sound. Looking quickly at each other, Wu Dao shrugged a shoulder and nodded all but imperceptibly. Without any further hesitation, the two sprinted towards the sound, coming across a young girl of no more than nine and her father who had been ambushed by demons on their way through the woods. Wu Dao's brow furrowed as he watched the child being wrenched from the man's grip. Her father tried to resist, but it was no use. The girl was dragged from him and began to cry in earnest. The demons laughed cruelly and stalked towards her father, licking their lips and drawing long, wicked daggers as they taunted the girl, "Watch as we eat your father, little girl."

Wu Dao scowled, "Enough." He said in his cool, authoritative voice. You will release the child and her father. Now."

The demons just laughed and taunted him, "Come get them if you want them so bad. You look pretty tasty, yourself."

Wu Dao's scowl deepened, "I will give you one last chance. Release them."

Wen Tian sighed and shook his head as the demons laughed still harder, "You really don't get it, do you pretty boy? We have you outnumbered and surrounded."

Wen Tian turned around, "They're right, Wu Dao. We're completely surrounded. I guess they think they're enough to take us, huh?"

Wu Dao nearly smiled. "Indeed, brother."

The demon who seemed to be in charge frowned, "Wu Dao? You're...You're Wu Dao? The former Dragon King?" He hesitated for a moment before shaking his head, "It doesn't matter who they are. We've got them outnumbered. Look at them; they're not even armed!"

Wen Tian grinned bloodthirstily and flung his right hand out to his side while Wu Dao did the same. Immediately, San Cha Ji and the Dragon Tooth Sword appeared in their respective owners' hands. The surrounding demons grew slightly nervous, milling and twittering about. At last, however, their hunger and greed overtook their common sense and they charged. Wen Tian's grin widened as he and his brother stood back-to-back, waiting for the first demons to fall beneath their weapons.

Wu Dao glanced at the child and her father who were being dragged off by another group of demons while Wu Dao and his brother were distracted. "You stay here and hold this group. I'm going after the group with the child and her father." Wen Tian nodded, twirling San Cha Ji deftly in his hands. As the first demons reached him, Wen Tian slashed viciously, killing three with one stroke.

Meanwhile, Wu Dao appeared in front of the group dragging the two mortals away, his back turned to them. Glancing over his shoulder, he leveled a look of utter disgust at them, "You know who I am, and still you think to challenge me? You must wish to die today. Lucky for you, I am in a benevolent mood and will grant you this wish." Wu Dao looked at the mortal man, "Wait a moment while I get rid of theses fools. My brother is holding off the rest." The man nodded, grabbing his daughter and pulling her close, clinging to her desperately.

The demons growled and charged, screaming. Wu Dao remained perfectly still with a bored expression on his face. With three quick, deft strokes, Wu Da neatly decapitated the first three demons. Spinning gracefully, he cut viciously and four more demons. On a final lunge, Wu Dao sliced easily through the remaining four. Glancing at his brother, Wu Dao cocked his head for a moment, considering. Glancing over his shoulder, he said in his normal bored tone, "Wait here a moment. I will aid my brother in finishing them off." The man nodded as he sank to the ground, drawing his daughter to him gratefully.

In short order, Wen Tian and Wu Dao had killed off the last of the offending demons. Wen Tian and Wu Dao stood still for a moment, alert for any demons that had escaped their blades. Relaxing, Wu Dao thrust his Dragon Tooth Sword to the side, and it vanished; at his side, Wen Tian did the same with San Cha Ji. Turning, Wen Tian saw the little girl, staring apprehensively at him and his brother. Slowly, he approached the girl and her father, "It's alright now. We're not going to hurt you. My brother just needs to take a look at you to make sure neither of you are wounded."

Wu Dao nodded emotionlessly and approached the terrified humans slowly. Making eye contact with the father, he spoke very softly, "Which should I check first? You or your daughter?"

The man hesitated for a moment, warring between possible danger and the fear that his child may be injured. His fear won out, however, "Check me first," he said haltingly as he pushed his daughter behind him.

Wu Dao's eyes narrowed slightly but he nodded. Holding out his hand, he held it over the man's head as it started to glow faintly purple. Closing his eyes, Wu Dao slowly moved his hand down, checking the man's entire body for wounds. To his relief, he found only a few minor injuries – all of which he could tend easily. The worst of hi injuries was a shallow gash on the man's forehead, which Wu Dao quickly cleaned and bandaged with a scrap that he tore from his robes. In short order, he had seen to all of the man's wounds with swift, emotionless impartiality.

Glancing behind him, the man hesitantly motioned to his daughter, "It's okay. I think they really just want to help."

Without any further urging, the girl leapt from behind her father and flung her arms around Wu Dao's neck, snuggling in closely, "Thank you," she murmured into his neck.

The girl's father looked like he might have some sort of fit, while Wu Dao simply froze, his eyes full of surprise. After a moment, Wu Dao relaxed and lifted his arms slowly, returning the girl's embrace awkwardly. The girl's father watched in astonishment as Wu Dao gently pushed the girl away for a moment, watching her face carefully for any signs of fear. Surprising even himself, he felt the tiniest of smiles curve his mouth. The girl grinned in response, delighted with her new friend. "I must check you for wounds now," he said softly, his voice gentler than it had been in a very long time. The girl nodded, and Wu Dao repeated the steps he had taken with her father. To his very great relief, Wu Dao found that the girl had suffered nothing more than a few scrapes and bruises. These, Wu Dao treated with the greatest care and the gentlest hand. When he was finished, Wu Dao picked up the girl and carried her to her father. Handing her over with some apparent reluctance, he said, "You should be more careful. My brother and I will escort you to the nearest village. It is not safe after dark."

As they had dealt with the demons and Wu Dao had treated the wounded humans, night had fallen. The human man's face fell in confusion, "Where _is_ your brother?"

Wu Dao cocked his head in confusion and looked over his shoulder. Sure enough, the half-dragon was not there. "Wen Tian!" He called, "Wen Tian! Where are you?" Silence rang through the trees. Wu Dao sighed in annoyance and reached out, searching for his brother's aura. Alarm rushed through him when he felt nothing – no dragon aura at all. Wu Dao lurched a half-step forward, fear coursing through him as he stared through the growing darkness, hoping to catch sight of his brother. Just then, the wind shifted and he caught a scent that was – almost – familiar. He relaxed slightly; it seemed that Wen Tian would be fine for a short time. Shuffling his feet for a moment, he made up his mind. Turning back to the girl's father, he said, "I will carry the two of you to your village on my back. I will transform back a short distance away and walk with you the rest of the way."

The man looked confused but agreed anyway. Without hesitation, Wu Dao transformed into his true form and waited patiently for the girl and her father to get on his back. As soon as they were secure, he took off; within minutes, they were within sight of the village. True to his word, Wu Dao landed a short distance outside the village and transformed again. When they reached the edge of the village, the man turned, "I don't know how I will ever be able to thank you, my lord. If you and your brother had not intervened, my daughter and I would be dead."

Wu Dao nearly smiled, "There is nothing to thank. I am just pleased that we were in the area. Now, I must go and find Wen Tian. Do not wander in these woods again – it is not safe since the Demon Clan's master was destroyed." The man said that he would take the Dragon lord's advice and continued to thank Wu Dao profusely as he turned and vanished in a puff of smoke.

In moments, Wu Dao was back in the area of the forest where he had left his brother. Staring through the gathering darkness, he called, "Wen Tian! Wen Tian, where are you?" Anxiousness gathered in his stomach. _What if something happened to him?_ Louder now, Wu Dao yelled, " _Wen Tian!_ This is not amusing! Where _are_ you?!" At last, a scent that was half-familiar to him met his nostrils. Freezing in place, Wu Dao lifted his head and scented the air delicately. Catching the scent again, he snapped his head to the right and lunged forward, moving as quickly as a shadow over the moon. In seconds, he was near enough to the sent to hear an odd sort of whimpering. If the sound _was_ being made by Wen Tian, it was a sound he'd never dreamed to hear come from him. Slowly and carefully, Wu Dao crept past a cluster of trees and saw a huddled form trembling in its hiding place behind a tree. Softly and doubtfully he called, "Wen Tian?"

To Wu Dao's shock, the form all but screeched, " _STAY AWAY FROM ME!_ " and scuttled away, fear pumping off of him in waves – it was so potent that Wu Dao could smell it clearly in the air.

Wu Dao stared after his brother in astonishment. Lowering himself to a crouch he crawled towards his brother, as he had with the terrified child. Seeing his brother in this state had brought a rarely-seen protective tenderness to the surface, surprising even Wu Dao himself. Holding his hands out in a peaceful gesture, Wu Dao said softly, "It's alright now. Whatever happened, I won't hurt you. You're my brother, and whatever has happened, I'm right here. I won't go anywhere."

Wen Tian grew terribly still – much like a rabbit standing before a hungry wolf. Slowly, he brought up his head to look his brother directly in the eye, "You...You won't try anything?" he whispered, clearly terrified.

Wu Dao's expression softened and his eyes warmed, "No," he said simply and with such sincerity that Wen Tian visibly relaxed slightly.

With great apprehension, Wen Tian lowered his hands, exposing his bare head – bare, where once there had been a handsome pair of onyx horns. Wu Dao's eyes widened as Wen Tian whispered, sounding ashamed of himself, "It's the moon. Every full moon, I turn fully human for one night – I'm weaker than a normal human during this time. I've managed to hide it from you for a year now; I'm sorry. I just...I was afraid that if you knew, you'd strike when I was at my weakest and rid the Dragon Clan of its shame once and for all."

Wu Dao's eyes softened further and grew wet, "Brother," he said softly as he took Wen Tian's hands in his own, "You are _not_ the shame of the Dragon Clan. _I_ am. I have never accepted or taken care of my younger brother and I couldn't even protect the woman I love. Let me take care of you now. I won't let anyone hurt you...My brother." Wu Dao helped his brother to his feet as he spoke.

Wen Tian's eye filled with tears and he flung himself at his brother, trembling with fear and clinging to him like a child. "I'm so scared, Wu Dao. Please, don't leave me alone."

Wu Dao froze for a moment, unsure of what to do about this unheard-of show of affection from his brother. For a moment, he considered throwing the younger man aside until he realized that his brother was – at the moment – little more than a child in his behavior. _If he has gone through this every month for his entire life...Who am I to judge his fear? I can only imagine how many times he has been put in very real danger because of this throughout his life. As his brother, it is my_ _ **duty**_ _to protect him during his human night._ Out loud, he said, "I'm here, brother. Don't be afraid; I won't let anyone near you." For the first time in his extraordinarily long life, Wu Dao felt that he truly had a _family_.

As the night wore on, Wu Dao grew more and more protective of Wen Tian – perhaps it was the way that he seemed as weak as a newborn or that he was so terrified that he trembled at the slightest shake of a leaf – but Wu Dao felt that he had something he must protect for the first time since Yu Die's death. For the first time, he felt a true kinship with his brother, and he would rather lose a limb than that newfound relationship. After many hours of crouching protectively in front of his brother and tending the fire, Wu Dao sensed a new aura. Tensing, he waited anxiously while the aura grew nearer and nearer. Within moments, a shadowy form began to take shape in the mists. "My lord Wu Dao," said a familiar voice. "It seems we have a great deal to discuss." From the shadows stepped Jiu Dui, the current King of the Dragons.

***Author's Note***

I felt cheated, honestly, that we never got to explore the brothers' relationship, so I tried to show in this chapter a bit of the development of the relationship between Wu Dao and Wen Tian. I truly hope you enjoyed this one. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	4. Chapter 4

*Author's Note*

Good Evening, my lovelies!!!! This is a very short, but emotionally-charged chapter. Things have been crazy for me lately, so I haven't have that much time to write. I've compensated by jamming as much emotion into this as I could possibly manage. I've truly been enjoying fixing everything that was so very, very wrong with this show. I dearly love it, but I think you all know what I mean. Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it.

*End Note*

Chapter 4

Wu Dao stood defensively in front of his brother, bowing respectfully, "Greetings to Your Majesty. With all due respect, I must ask that you stop where you are."

Jiu Dui frowned, confused, "My lord. I followed you for most of my life; what is there that you can't tell me?"

Wu Dao crouched slightly and shook his head, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. I cannot allow you near. What do you need from us?"

Jiu Dui sighed and shrugged, "Very well, then. My lord, I beg of you to return. The tribe needs you; I am hardly any kind of king. Please return and reclaim your rightful place. I am just a steward, not a king. They need you, not me, my lord."

Wu Dao sighed slightly and stood, turning his back to Jiu Dui, "It seems you have wasted your time. There is nothing you can say that will convince me to return. I am not fit to be king. My father was correct in that. Please, leave my brother and I alone, Your Majesty. We will not be returning to the tribe."

Jiu Dui sighed again, "For how long, my lord?"

"Ever," was the only reply Wu Dao made.

Nodding, the current King turned, "Well, perhaps someday you will change your mind and come back to us. We need you, Wu Dao." Without another word, Jiu Dui vanished in a puff of smoke.

Wu Dao relaxed visibly and knelt in front of his brother, "He left. Are you alright?"

Wen Tian's trembling slowed, "I…I think so. I'm sorry, brother. I'm so useless."

Wu Dao cocked his head slightly, "You are having a weak night. You will be fine in the morning," he grunted. For the rest of the night, Wu Dao stood guard while Wen Tian sat near the fire, staring out into the darkness apprehensively. At last, as the sun's first rays touched the sky, Wu Dao glanced behind him to find that his brother had fallen asleep curled up like a cat. Nearly smiling, Wu Dao removed his cloak and draped it gently over Wen Tian's sleeping form, observing his brother closely for the first time in his memory. He really does look exhausted, he thought. It must have been difficult, being like this for his entire life. Wu Dao watched his brother sleep for another long moment before standing and returning to his vigil.

In the morning, Wen Tian woke, surprised to find his brother's cloak wrapped around him. Cautiously, he reached up and felt his head and nearly sighed in relief when he felt horns there again. Glancing around the now-cold camp, he saw Wu Dao standing a short distance away with his back to Wen Tian, his posture rigid and tense. Wen Tian bit his lip, worrying at it for a long while as he wondered just how to broach the subject of the night before with his brother. Who knew that Wu Dao would beat him to it?

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked softly, a quiet sort of hurt anger in his voice.

Wen Tian flinched. He couldn't bring himself to speak at first and simply poked at the smoking remains of their fire with a stick. "Sometimes it was because I was afraid of you," he said very, very quietly. "I thought...maybe with everything we went through last year...I thought you might take advantage of my weakness. Other times, it was because I was afraid my weakness might get you killed. So...So I hid it from you this past year. I-I'm sorry."

Wu Dao's shoulders relaxed, slumping slightly, "Wen Tian. I made you a promise. I keep my word."

Wen Tian hung his head, feeling terribly ashamed of himself, "I know...I'm sorry. I'm just not myself on the full moon." Standing, Wen Tian slung the borrowed cloak over his arm and approached his brother cautiously. Even more cautiously, he put his arm companionably around Wu Dao's shoulders, "I'm sorry that I didn't trust you, brother. It won't happen again. Forgive me?"

Wu Dao sighed and glanced at his brother out of the corner of his eye, "Fine. It is finished." Without another word, he began to break camp and pack the few things they had brought with them. Within ten minutes, they had returned the site to its original state and continued on their journey. The pair walked in silence until Wu Dao asked awkwardly, "Do you think of her?"

Wen Tian stared at Wu Dao in surprise for a heartbeat before clearing his throat, "Yao Yao? Yes. Yes, of course I think of her. All the time. Every time I breathe. Every time my heart beats and hers doesn't answer. I miss her more than words can tell."

Wu Dao turned his head slightly to look more directly at his brother, "Huh," he said. "Me, too." He sighed heavily and the pair paused as they neared the borders of an all-too-familiar forest.

Nearing his brother, Wen Tian wrapped an arm around Wu Dao's shoulders, "Well, no use just standing here. Let's go." Wu Dao glowered at the half-demon and shook off the arm around his shoulders, striding into the forest without a second thought. Wen Tian smiled sadly and followed without another word.

The Dragon brothers walked in silence for a long time, neither of them daring to speak. At long last, they came to a clearing in the trees where a small wooden hut stood beside a lone grave. Wen Tian cleared his throat awkwardly and turned his back to give his brother some semblance of privacy.

Approaching the grave, Wu Dao laid a hand on the bare stone, his body growing suddenly and overwhelmingly heavy. All at once, his chest closed and the breath stilled in his lungs as his eyes filled with tears. The breath shuddered out of his aching chest on a heartrending groan as he sank to his knees, his hand frozen on the painful reminder of his failure. The tears soaked into his face as he sobbed in front of Yu Die's grave.

Wen Tian watched as his brother sank helplessly to the ground, tears of his own blurring his vision at his brother's pain. Knowing his brother too well, Wen Tian understood that if he tried to comfort his brother now, it would do the opposite of help. Instead, his thoughts turned to his Yao Yao; he couldn't help but think of her in this place. He could all but see her weeping over Yu Die's grave.

Yao Yao woke in the early morning light and groaned. I need coffee, she thought drowsily. I hope Daddy put the coffee on this morning before he left. She could hear someone calling for her and groaned, rolling over – only to fall off of the tiny cot and land flat on her face on the hard dirt below her tent floor. "Oh, yeah," she groaned, "We arrived at the site last night." For a moment she laid where she was, cursing her awful luck. "Well, I'd better get up," she moaned into the tent floor. Standing slowly and stretching the many kinks out of her back, neck, shoulders, and everywhere else one could develop a kink, Yao Yao crossed to a large pitcher full of water, poured some in the ceramic bowl beside it, and washed her face. She then dressed quickly and ducked out of her tent.

"Ah, Yao Yao!" Called her father, "Come over here; I have something I think you'll want to see."

Yao Yao glowered at her father, "Unless it's a cup of very, very strong and very, very black coffee, I am completely not interested."

Professor Ding chuckled and held out the Styrofoam cup in his right hand, "Just who do you think your Daddy is?" He asked with a smile that made Yao Yao understand completely why her mother had fallen in love with him. "Now. Are you ready to listen?"

Yao Yao held up a finger as she took a long, luxurious slurp of the steaming-hot liquid. Groaning, she rolled her eyes melodramatically skyward and shivered. Taking a deep breath, she sighed, "Okay, shoot. What is it?"

Professor Ding chuckled again and ushered Yao Yao into another tent and led her to a table on the other end of the large tent. The light filtered oddly through the white canvas, dyeing everything an odd, ethereal white. Spread out across the table was an odd assortment of ancient artifacts from the Nan Yue era. Ding Yao grinned widely and rushed the last few steps to the table, running her hands reverently over the artifacts. Suddenly, her hands froze and a glimmer of fear came into her eyes. "Daddy, this...this emblem. It's the Dragon Clan's. This belonged to Wu Dao...It was part of his armor." The tent grew terribly still – the personnel on this dig knew the details of Ding Yao's trip into the Nan Yue era and also knew that she never talked about the people from that time, as it was too painful for her. "I need to see where you found this. Right now."

Professor Ding nodded and took Yao Yao by the elbow, leading her into the forest. On and on he led her, and for a time it seemed that they would never stop. After what seemed like an eternity with her heart in her throat, it seemed that Yao Yao was beginning to recognize her surroundings. Her heart grew still and heavy as a low wooden structure began to appear in the gloom. "We don't know how this has survived for all these years but this hut was built about thirty-five hundred years ago," her father gushed. "I've never seen anything like it! I..." The look on his daughter's face had finally sunk through his excitement, "Yao Yao? What is it?"

But she wasn't looking at the hut or her father. Her eyes were, instead, locked on a moss-covered mound of rocks and an ancient, weathered plank of wood upon which the shadows of ancient, faded symbols could be seen haunting the wood they had once been carved into. "I don't believe it," came Yao Yao's fragile whisper, "It's...It's here. I' can't believe I've found it. This is it."

"What is it? What is this place?" her father asked with great hesitation

Yao Yao strode forward slowly towards a moss-covered pile of stones. "This is Yu Die's grave," she whispered, her voice thick with emotion. "I never thought I'd find myself here again. Wu Dao built that shack himself after he found out the truth about Yu Die's death. He mourned her here. If I stand very, very quietly...I can still hear him crying over her."

Even as she spoke, it seemed as though time itself rippled and an image of a handsome man with snow-white hair and tall, proud horns kneeling in front of the pile of stones flickered in front of her vision. "I'm so sorry," she heard the echo of Wu Dao's words, "I failed you, Yu Die. I miss you so much. It's only been a year, but to me it seems like a lifetime."

"It really did happen," she whispered to herself, "It wasn't a dream. I really did go back there." Tears formed in her eyes as she crossed to the grave and sank slowly to her knees, "I'm so sorry, Yu Die." The tears spilled over as she confessed, "I was too much of a coward to even stay with the man I loved and yet...you died for yours. You must be so ashamed of me. I just...I didn't know what to do. I thought that if I left and came back here, he'd forget about me. But why do I get the feeling that he never did?" Her breath caught in her chest. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry."

*Author's Note*

Well, that was...heartrending. Hope you enjoyed it, though! As usual, I am deeply thankful for your reading. Lots of love here at Casa de Darkwind!

\- Lady Darkwind


	5. Chapter 5

***Author's Notes***

Good day, my darlings! So so sorry that it's taken me so long to post again! I've been insanely busy with many, many things. Let's just say my life turned upside down for a little while. XD But, things are starting to even out so I should be able to find time to write daily again. Thank you ever so much for your patience, my dears and I hope you enjoy!

***End Note***

Yao Yao remained kneeling by Yu Die's grave for hours after her father and the others had left to give her some time alone with her memories. As the sun began to dip behind the mountain, Ding Yao stood, groaning slightly at the stiffness in her knees from the cold, damp ground and turned back to the camp, drying her tears as she went. The moment she entered the research tent, her father handed her a steaming cup of tea, "I thought you might need it after being alone out there for so long," he said sympathetically.

Yao Yao nodded and leaned into the one-armed hug her father offered her. "I just hope that they're okay," she said shakily. Laughing at herself, she continued, "Look at me; I don't even know if it's at all likely that they're still alive. Who knows how long they're supposed to live?"

Professor Ding frowned, "Well, Yao Yao…You can't judge their lives by ours. They're not human, you know. It is entirely possible that they are still alive. You never know; just don't give up hope, sweetheart."

Yao Yao smiled and kissed her father on the cheek, "Thank you, Daddy. That helps a lot." Pushing away from her father gently, she crossed to the table that still held the strip of leather emblazoned with the Dragon Clan's emblem. Gingerly, she grasped it and inspected it closely trying desperately not to dwell on the images that flashed through her mind – the "what-ifs" and "worst-case scenarios" – of what may have happened. "So, how long do you think this has been here?"

One of the archaeologists leaned in, wrinkling her brow speculatively, "I was wondering about that, myself so I tested the leather – turns out it's about six thousand years old. But then, given who you said this belongs to, I suppose that shouldn't be much of a surprise to you. Given that, I ran a few other tests to see how long it had been _here_ , specifically. It looks like it's been here about three thousand years. Maybe a bit less than that, even; maybe twenty-five hundred years."

Yao Yao raised an eyebrow, "Oh, is that all?" She sighed, "Well, that means that at least Wu Dao survived for another five hundred to one thousand years after I left…But what about Wen Tian? Oh, it's impossible to know for sure." She studied the leather closely again, "So, is there any way of telling what part of the armor this might have come from?"

The woman smiled, "Yes, actually. I believe that this may have been part of a bracer – so even if he _was_ injured, it's not likely that it was fatal. If you look at the direction of the cut, it seems like it was vertical rather than horizontal, meaning that it's quite likely he didn't even lose part of a limb."

Yao Yao grinned widely, "So, it's not likely that he died here? Did you find any other armor nearby?"

The woman chuckled, "No, we didn't. So it's very likely that your friend walked away just fine from whatever happened here."

Yao Yao's confident smile faded away quickly, "Maybe you're right, but still...You don't know what this place was to him."

Confusion spread across the older woman's face, "Why? What was this place to him?"

Yao Yao sighed heavily as tears welled in her eyes once more. "This is the place where he buried the only person he had ever loved besides himself. It's the one place that he may have possibly been caught off-guard."

Wu Dao slumped against Yu Die's grave, suddenly exhausted. At that moment, the Monarch butterfly that incessantly followed the brothers fluttered down to land on her own grave. Wu Dao's breath stilled and all but stopped as he held a finger out for the insect. The moment its fragile legs made contact with Wu Dao's skin, he sighed heavily. "We should leave," he said sorrowfully. "It would not do to linger beyond our time."

Wen Tian nodded, "Yeah, I understand what you mean. I don't like staying here longer than I have to, either. On that note...Where are we heading next?"

Wu Dao grunted as he stood, wiping the tears from his cheeks. "I think you know, brother. I need to have a chat with her father."

Wen Tian glanced nervously at his brother, "Why do you need to do that?"

"It's taken me a year to work out what I want to say to him. We will head to the Capital City from here." Wen Tian looked like he wanted to argue but remained silent, keeping his thoughts to himself. He knew that once Wu Dao set his mind to something, it was better (and safer) to go along with it rather than stand in his way.

Silently, the pair made their way down the mountain and into the kingdom of Shu. For many days they traveled avoiding villages and other travelers. It wasn't until their food began to run low that Wu Dao agreed to pass through a village. Moments after entering the village, Wen Tian realized why they had been avoiding them. The villagers all stopped and stared at them as they passed through, many of them glaring furiously at them both. Wen Tian raised an eyebrow at his brother but remained silent and approached a food vendor cautiously. Unlike the last village they had been in, these people showed no sign of fear – but clearly, they were equally unwelcome here.

Politely, Wen Tian said, "I was hoping we could resupply here. What do you recommend?"

The man glowered at him, "What do I recommend? I recommend you get the hell out of here. We don't take money from your kind here. Especially not from that _murderer_."

Wen Tian cocked his head in confusion, "I'm sorry…What murderer are you talking about?"

"The one behind you, you foul beast. Both of you had better get out of here or you'll find your horns decorating someone's wall."

Wen Tian snarled, "My brother is no murderer. Who is he supposed to have murdered for you to treat him in such a way?"

"Princess Yu Die," came the reply.

Wen Tian froze, sensing the fury that rolled from his brother. Wu Dao strode slowly towards the merchant, his aura pulsing furiously around him, "What did you say?" He asked in a dangerously quiet voice.

The man faltered for a moment before gathering his courage, "You heard me. Every man, woman, and child in Shu Kingdom knows that Wu Dao seduced and murdered the princess. Don't even try to deny it. You were seen with her by one of our Shamans."

Wu Dao's fury doubled, "How _dare_ you insult me this way? From whom does this baseless accusation come?"

"The King himself. He has ordered that anyone who sees you should kill you on sight."

Wu Dao lowered his voice still further, "I would like to see the human who could try."

"Maybe we should leave," Wen Tian said quietly. "Look; I don't want anyone getting hurt. We can just hunt or forage for food. It's fine. Let's just stay out of villages, okay?"

Wu Dao glanced at his brother, his fury still palpable. He narrowed his eyes, "Fine. But as soon as we get to the Capital…I plan to have _words_ with the King. He will regret this course of action."

Wen Tian rushed after Wu Dao as he whirled and stormed out of the village, back the way the had come. Several days later, the flags of the Capital came into view. Wu Dao set his jaw stubbornly and increased his pace; the two of them reached the city long before the sun reached its zenith. As they drew near, they could hear the soldiers shouting from the parapet to shut the gates and prepare to fire at them. Wu Dao narrowed his eyes furiously and turned on the spot, vanishing in a puff of smoke, only to reappear directly in front of the closing gate. Without hesitation, he thrust out his hands, sending a blast of power at the massive gates and hurling them wide open again. From inside the city, screams began to rise like a tide as Wu Dao entered with Wen Tian sprinting after him to catch up.

***Author's Note***

I thought I'd leave this with a bit of a cliffhanger. Y'all will just have to wait to see what Wu Dao has to say to Yu Die's father when I find time to post again. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and thanks as always for reading. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	6. Chapter 6

***Author's Note***

Okay, so last chapter was abysmally short, so I'm hoping to make up with it this time around. I truly hope you lot enjoy Wu Dao's speech in this chapter. All I'm going to say. Anyway, I hope you like what I'm trying to do with this story; I'm satisfied with it thus far. Enjoy!

***End Note***

The moment that Wu Dao and Wen Tian entered the city, soldiers surrounded them, their weapons drawn and pointed at the brothers. Raising an eyebrow, Wen Tian glanced at his brother, who appeared entirely unfazed, as was usual for the older dragon. However, Wen Tian knew that his brother was furious; there was a fire in his eyes that had not been there since they had fought the demon lord together. Biting his lip, Wen Tian stayed close to his brother as Wu Dao made his way further into the city. After some time, civilians began to gather at the sides of the road to watch their progress. Once they had realized that Wu Dao and Wen Tian had no intentions whatsoever of going on any kind of killing spree, it seemed that their human curiosity had overwhelmed their fear.

Thought they could easily have reached the palace in minutes, Wu Dao and Wen Tian moved slowly so that there would be no unnecessary injuries. Though privately, Wen Tian wondered if his brother may have gotten it into his head to disembowel the King. _I wouldn't be surprised,_ he thought. _And to be perfectly honest, I don't think I'd be terribly upset if he did._ As the crowd lining the street grew larger, many children joined their parents, watching the dragon brothers' progress.

Wen Tian saw a sudden movement out of the corner of his eye and caught the choked cry of a mother as her child slipped from her grasp, chasing after a small rubber ball that had gotten away from the girl. The ball bounced into the road until it struck Wu Dao soundly in the shin. Wu Dao froze in his tracks and stood staring down at the offending ball for a long moment while the crowd held its collective breath. The girl approached him, looking properly shamefaced and said in a sweet voice, "I'm sorry. I dropped it."

The girl's voice seemed to affect him like the spring thaw affects a river. When she spoke, his fingers twitched in response before he glanced at the child from the corner of his eye and bent to retrieve the ball. Turning to the child, Wu Dao knelt down, watching her with interest. Someone in the crowd screamed, and many shouted insults at him. Ignoring them utterly, he held out the ball to the girl and gave her a slight smile, "No harm done," he said quietly. Scooting closer to her, he held out his arms to her and she climbed happily into them while he stood easily and settled her small weight on his hip. Quickly scanning the crowd, Wu Dao found the girl's mother – she looked like she may faint from shock and fear. Slowly, Wu Dao crossed to the woman and held the child out to her. He waited patiently while the woman gathered her courage and transferred the girl to her own hip. Wu Dao eyed her speculatively for a beat or two before he raised an eyebrow and said, "You should be more careful. This child is a precious gift. If it had been someone other than me, she may have been hurt. There are other dragons that care little for humans and would have harmed her. Lucky for you, I seem to have developed a soft spot for your kind. Keep her close." He looked down at the child for a moment with an unaccustomed softness on his face, "It would be tragic if something happened to her. I know what it is to lose something so precious," he added in a fragile whisper.

Without another word, Wu Dao wheeled and returned to the road. The crowd grew oddly quiet as Wu Dao and his brother continued their trek to the Palace, their ever-present contingent of soldiers following their every move with tense, beady eyes. The closer they drew to the palace, the more nervous the soldiers grew. After what seemed an age, the Palace was finally in sight – as were the entire force of the Palace Guard, arranged in neat rows with their weapons at the ready, waiting for them.

Wu Dao narrowed his eyes angrily and glanced at his brother, "I haven't the time to waste on these fools," he snarled.

Wen Tian raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Up and over then?" He questioned.

Wu Dao inclined his head once, extending his arms to either side as his brother did the same. In an instant, the pair were raised up off the ground and over the heads and weapons of the gaping soldiers. In seconds, the dragons floated gracefully to the ground behind the Palace Guards and sprinted toward the barred gates of the Palace itself. A few heartbeats more, and they had burst through the gates and were hurrying toward the doors of the Throne Room itself.  
Before anyone knew what was happening, Wu Dao had sent a burst of his power into the barred Throne Room doors, flinging them open wide and stormed into the cold, drafty hall with the entirety of the Palace Guards rushing after him and Wen Tian. Glancing at his older brother, Wen Tian shifted uncomfortably, wondering if he was going to have to stop his brother from murdering the King and starting a war between the Dragon Clan and the Kingdom of Shu. As though he could hear his brother's thoughts, Wu Dao sighed and without glancing in Wen Tian's direction said, "Don't worry, little brother. I have no intention of getting any human blood on my hands today."

Wen Tian smiled and shifted his weight again, casually summoning San Cha Ji into his hands and leaning on it as though it were nothing more than an elaborate walking staff. The King of Shu trembled visibly on his throne, his hands clenching with rage on the arms of his exalted seat. "How _dare_ the murderer of my precious daughter show hi face in my hall," he thundered, his voice full of bravado that was belied by the trembling in his hands. "Do you wish to die? If that is so, tell your… _dog_ to stand down." Wen Tian snarled at the King, but Wu Dao only shook his head very slightly and twitched a finger in his brother's direction. Seeing this interaction, the King's eyes narrowed, "You defy me, demon? Do you wish to begin a war? So be it. If you wish it, I would be only too happy to oblige. After what the Dragon Clan has stolen from this Kingdom, it is only fitting."

Wu Dao remained silent as the king continued to rant and rage at the dragons before him, his face growing more and more scarlet with fury at the continued silence from before him. At last, Wu Dao had taken all he could muster and said in his quietest, most dangerous voice, "Your words mean nothing to me." The King stuttered to a stop in shock, prompting an amused snort from Wen Tian – which was staunchly ignored by Wu Dao. Taking a breath, Wu Dao stepped forward and began to address the King, "You are a fool," he began with complete certainty. "Your daughter was miserable under your care. While she was with me, she spoke of you only rarely, and it was _not_ flattering. So ashamed was she of her family and where she came from that I did not know she was a princess until she had already been with me for several months. Never once did she express to me a longing or desire to return home to her father – rather, when I attempted to force her to leave, she followed me anyway. It was her force of will that made me allow her presence. I am not a man to travel with many people – until her, I preferred to be alone at all times. I did not like people; to be honest, I _still_ don't, and you are the perfect example of _why_. You had this incredible, beautiful soul in your care and you made her so miserable that she fled from you and directly into _my_ arms. If you should blame anyone for her death, you should blame only yourself and this family of yours with whom you incessantly quarrel. It is true that we were found by one of your shaman, but it is also true that I tried to send her back with him. She would hear nothing of it. Instead, she clung to me and begged to follow me wherever I went until her life was utterly spent.

"I was against the idea, but I could not deny the pleading in her eyes. I would rather have ripped out my own liver than watch her suffer. All that she did were choices she made for herself. In no way did I influence or force those decisions. I would much prefer to have her here, safe and alive, than buried on the mountain which borders your land. It is my life's greatest failing that your daughter is dead. I would have had her travel with me until the end of the world, if I could have been allowed that – and I will very likely _see_ the end of the world. Instead, I am forced to wander the endless ages of this world with only my brother for company."

The King opened his mouth to protest, but Wu Dao's roar of outrage silenced him, "You will be _SILENT_ ," he bellowed. The King's eyes widened and he flinched as Wu Dao's voice echoed through the hall. Returning to his normal volume, Wu Dao continued, "I came here today to tell you the circumstances of your daughter's death. I have not come before because I have blamed myself. I felt too ashamed to come see you. Now that I have met you, I wonder _why_ I was ashamed of myself. Looking back, I have absolutely nothing to be ashamed of, compared to you. You pushed your daughter away and made her so miserable that it took a _demon_ to make her happy. She found me when I was alone and wounded; she cared for me and helped me return to health. I expected her to leave once I was healthy, but to my astonishment she did no such thing. Instead, she devoted the rest of her life to continuing to care for me." Wu Dao took a deep breath and closed his eyes, "I can still see her smile every time I close my eyes." Opening his eyes again, he stared directly into the King's eyes, "I loved your daughter as I have never loved anyone or any _thing_ in my entire life. For a point of reference, I am four thousand six hundred and seventy-two years old. I have been alone for thousands of years, but after less than one year with your daughter, I lived more than I ever did before. Your daughter died protecting me – that is the simple truth.

"I was fighting a foe for whom I was unprepared. She saw that my life was in danger and did not hesitate for a moment before rushing in to save me. The injury she sustained cost her her life. She died in my arms and for the first time in my life, I wept. Since her death, I have been empty and hollow; nothing matters to me anymore, save seeing the places that I had wanted to show her. I see them now through her eyes.

"It had been my intention to come here and beg for forgiveness for my failure to protect her...But then I heard the _lie_ that you have been spreading about your own _daughter_." The King grew pale and shifted uncomfortably in his lofty seat. You dare to say that I _seduced_ her, and further that I _murdered_ her? You must have no desire to live any longer. Your daughter was the only woman I will ever love for all the ages of this world, or any other that may come after." Wu Dao's voice lowered dangerously and the pavement at his feet burst into flames, such was the power of his rage. Fire was in his eyes as he thrust his hand out to the side, summoning the Dragon Tooth Sword to his hand.

The King cowered in fear, tumbling out of his throne and scuttling backwards away from the dragon's fury, "You...You claim to love her, but you won't even say my daughter's name!" The King cried out desperately, hoping to distract the Dragon from his rage.

Wu Dao froze in place for a moment, his face a tortured mask of loss and pain. "Yu...Die," he whispered brokenly, "Her name was YU DIE!" The flames around him raged, kicking up a furious wind in the hall. Wu Dao's cloak and robes fluttered around his ankles as his hair flew wildly around his shoulders. "You should not have insulted the Dragon Clan! From this day forward, I curse you to be despised and berated by your people. They will know you for the despicable coward you are. But hear this, pathetic human king. Should I _ever_ again hear threats of war from you or lies of this nature about me in future, I _will_ return. And when I do, I will not simply kill you, but I will kill your family and all of your house. The halls will be slick and wet with the blood of you and your kin. I will stride through the sea of blood and bodies, and as I approach you as death itself, you will _finally_ understand the madness and pain I feel at the loss of my Yu Die."

Wu Dao allowed the flames to burn for another moment more before he let his fury bleed away, but not before he cast a spell of his own towards Yu Die's father, cursing him exactly as he had promised to do. Without another word, Wu Dao banished his sword again and glided from the hall, suddenly exhausted and anxious to shake the dust of Shu from his boots. Wen Tian glowered at the King, "He let you off easier than I would have. If it were me, you wouldn't have gotten a warning at all." With that, he whirled and rushed after his brother. Upon catching him up, Wen Tian sighed heavily and put his arm around his brother's shoulders, "I'm sorry, Big Brother." He said simply.

***Author's Note***

Phew, well _that_ was emotionally charged, to say the least! I hope you enjoyed his classy, distinguished metaphorical finger to the King at the end there. I hope you're enjoying this story as much as I am, and I will try to post more frequently going forward. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	7. Chapter 7

***Author's Note***

Good evening, my dears! So sorry it's been so long since I posted - again, I simply haven't had time to write of late. This chapter really is going to set the scene for the rest of the story; hope you all enjoy it!

***End Note***

Yao Yao rubbed tiredly at her overworked eyes. The number and figures on the papers spread out over the desk in front of her swam, prompting her to glance at her phone – nearly three in the morning. She sighed and stretched as best she could without straining something. There must have been _something_ else found nearby that would tell her what had happened here, and whether or not Wen Tian had survived the attack. _Unless it was something that happened between him and Wu Dao_ , came the horrifying thought. Yao Yao shook herself roughly, rubbing her shoulders as though to warm them. _No. no, it couldn't have been. The last I heard, Wen Tian had planned to find his brother and travel with him. Besides,_ she remembered with relief, _Wu Dao promised his brother that they would never fight again._ She heaved a sigh of relief, "Then what _did_ happen?" She wondered aloud.

Yao Yao's father watched her fondly from the tent flap, smiling sadly, "You never did get over that boy did you, my dear?"

Yao Yao jumped and stared at her father as one whose hand had been caught in a cookie jar, "No, Daddy. I never managed to get him out of my head. I'm sorry."

Professor Ding chuckled, "Don't apologize to me. I feel exactly the same way about your mother. That's how we know that we were truly loved. If we can't them off our minds, even years after the last time we saw them, it's usually a pretty good indicator."

Yao Yao shot her father a smile as fragile as spun sugar and equally sweet, "Thanks, Daddy. That actually helps, strangely enough. I just...I just miss him so much, and when I find small things like this – she gestured at the Dragon Clan's emblem – it's real, physical evidence that they _existed_. It's almost too much to take sometimes."

"I know. It was the same when your mother died. I'd find a stray hair on her pillow or a hair band that had fallen in some crack or crevice – all of it evidence of someone who'd once been there but was gone. It's a great comfort and a glimpse of hell all at once. It's a sweet, painful memory of a love that had once belonged to you and was lost all too soon. However, there is _one_ difference between us..."

Yao Yao sighed heavily, "I know. I chose to leave him, and Mom was ripped from you unfairly."

Her father smiled sadly at his beloved daughter, "No. There is the slightest chance that Wen Tian may still be alive. There is no hope of that for me. I must wait until my next life to see your mother again – if I am so blessed. I wish every morning to remember her face with unceasing clarity, but her face grows further away every day. I fear one morning I will wake and not remember her face."

Yao Yao's face seemed to age far beyond its years, "I can barely see his face anymore, Daddy. I almost can't hear his voice." Her throat closed as tears welled in her eyes. Her father rushed to her and wrapped her in a loving embrace as she wept. "I was so wrong to leave him back there. Why didn't I bring him with me?" For a long time, the only sound that could be heard throughout the camp was the haunting echo of the weeping of a woman whose aching loss was heavier than the weight of the world.

By morning, Yao Yao found herself wondering if someone had slipped her some alcohol or some sort of drug – she couldn't recall getting into bed. Not to mention the fact that her clothes were still on, save her boots and socks. The the solution came to her in the fuzzy half-memories of the mostly-asleep. It had been her father who had half-carried her to bed and laid her carefully in bed. The realization made her smile; it didn't matter how old she got – to him, she would always be his little girl. She supposed it was just a natural reaction – when a parent saw their child suffering, they reverted to their default "parent mode".

As though her thought had summoned him, her father appeared at the tent flap and smiled cautiously, "How are you feeling this morning?"

Yao Yao shrugged, "I'm alright. I could use a drink, but I'm alright."

He laughed, "I'm sorry, Yao Yao. You know my rules about alcohol on a dig."

Yao Yao chuckled, "I know, Daddy. Don't worry – I'm not going to sully your reputation." Stretching, she stood and crossed to her duffel that was still packed – and likely to remain so until they headed back to Shanghai. "I'll just change really quick and be out in a minute, Daddy." True to her word, she had made it outside and was on her way back to the research tent when a flash of movement at the edge of the trees caught her eye. Glancing back quickly, she looked for what may have moved, but there was nothing out of place – nothing there that shouldn't be. She didn't know why, but the image of Wu Dao suddenly popped into her head. _It must be because today is the anniversary of Yu Die's death_ , she thought mournfully.

"Yao Yao," called one of her father's assistants. "We think we've found something!" Yao Yao waved at the woman and glanced over her shoulder at the woods where Yu Die's grave was hidden, high up on the mountainside, once more before hurrying into the research tent. But still, for the remainder of the day, she couldn't help but feel that she was being watched. It wasn't the creepy, makes-you-look-over-your-shoulder-for-a-stalker kind of being watched, but more like simple curiosity. Whoever was out there didn't want to hurt anyone; they were just... _watching_.

For the next couple of days, Yao Yao slept very little – every time she closed her eyes at this time of year, all she could see was Yu Die dying, anyway. For the millionth time, she wondered how Wu Dao had gotten along without his beloved and sighed as her own beloved came once more into her mind. Rolling her shoulders, she shoved his memory into the far reaches of her mind; it wouldn't do to think about him now. When she _did_ allow herself to remember, she tended to sink into a state of depression for days – sometimes weeks – at a time where she forgot to eat, sleep, and do other everyday, simple tasks. Instead, she returned her attention to the task at hand – carefully scraping layers of ages-old dirt, rust, and grime off of the blade in her hand.

They had managed to unearth a number of weapons and weapon shards; for the last couple of days, Yao Yao and the others had been painstakingly cleaning them up enough to be able to figure out where they may have come from and why they had been left behind. Thus far, none of the blades they had found matched either Wu Dao's weapon or Wen Tian's. As far as she could tell, the pair had been accosted by lower-level demons while visiting Yu Die. Though they had clearly been caught off guard, it was becoming clear to her that neither of them had died – nor was it likely that they had sustained serious injury.

The discovery was a great comfort to Yao Yao; she didn't think she could take it if she were to find Wen Tian's final resting place while on a dig. But at the same time, at least she would have a definite answer about whether or not he was alive. All the same, she would rather not know; some might say it would be better to know, one way or the other but Yao Yao knew she'd rather not know. For her, it was better to live in ignorance and be able to harbor delusions that she might find him again someday than to be forced to accept that she would never see him again. But if she had her way, she would track him down whether he wanted her to or not.

Jui Gui sighed heavily, "How serious has the situation grown?"

"Your Majesty," his aide bowed respectfully, "The Dragon Clan has all but risen up in protest of your rule. They do not approve of you as King, and it seems unlikely that anything but the return of Wu Dao to the throne will appease them.

Jui Gui sat heavily in his seat and leaned his elbows on the enormous table before him, massaging the bridge of his nose with his thumbs. Shaking his head, he continued, "Has anyone heard any tidings of Wu Dao in the last hundred years?"

The aide paled slightly and shook his head, "No, Your Majesty. Not since the incident in the Shu kingdom last century."

Jui Gui groaned, "He'll never forgive me for this," he muttered to himself. "Very well, then. I know where he will be at this time of year." Saying a silent prayer for mercy, he spoke the words that he knew would likely sign his death warrant, "Wu Dao and his brother will be on Shu Mountain this time of year at the grave of Yu Die. Go there and bring them back here, if you can. If not, deliver the message to him that I have summoned him. He will not refuse a summons from his King – he is far too honorable a man for that." The aide bowed and backed out of the room, looking even paler than before. In the shadows of the room, a dark figure dipped his head and turned on his heel, exiting the room in great haste. Jui Gui watched the man leave out of the corner of his eye, heaving another sigh. _Let us just hope that those two can look after themselves. Please, just bring them back here safely._ Jui Gui took a deep breath and continued to the rest of the room, "Now. What have we heard regarding the gathering of the rebels?"

A well-decorated General stood from the other side of the table, "Your Majesty, it seems that the rebels have begun to gather in larger numbers – but every time we find the location of one of their gatherings, they are gone before we arrive. It is clear to me that we have a traitor in our midst."

Jui Gui nodded, "Yes, I know. More than one, most likely. All that we can do is hope that Wu Dao and Wen Tian can manage to return in time to save this clan. Now; has anyone stepped forward as the leader of this revolution of ours?"

The same General cleared his throat awkwardly, "Sir, it…it seems to be Bai Jaw-Long, sir."

Jui Gui froze, his eyes locked on the General, "Are you sure that's the name?"  
"Yes, sir."

The King laid his face in his hands, "Well, then may the Heavens have mercy on us."

***Author's Note***

I know, I know. Yet ANOTHER cliffhanger! I'd say I'm sorry...but I'm not. Well, as usual thank you so much for reading, andI'm glad that you're enjoying it. This one is sort of a pet project of mine; I've been working it out in my head ever since I watched Holy Pearl for the first time about two years ago, so I'm glad to finally be getting it out there. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	8. Chapter 8

***Author's Note***

I'm so glad that you're all enjoying this story! This chapter is going to be more plot building, so be ready for twists later on! ^_^ I'm very grateful to all of you who read my silly little stories. Enjoy!

****End Note***

Wu Dao sat with his back to his brother. _It's been over one hundred years since you died. Why can I still hear your voice as clearly as though you stand beside me now? Why won't you fade? I still miss you, my Yu Die. I'm beginning to wonder if your face will ever fade from my eyes. However, I find myself hoping that it never does. I never want to forget your smile or the sound of you quick laugh. I miss you so much it feels like the breath is being sucked form my lungs. Sometimes I wish it would just go away. But still; I'd rather feel this living death than have never known you at all._ He watched the butterfly flutter down to his shoulder once again and smiled sadly. _I am glad that your spirit remains with me, but still. I wish I could hold you; it is an empty existence without your arms around me._

Wen Tian stood silently by, keeping guard as he did every year that he and his brother came this way. They had become something of a local legend, they had been making their yearly pilgrimage for so long. Most legends lost accuracy and realism as the years went on, but theirs seemed to have retained a remarkable amount of accuracy. The story went thus:

 _Many, many years ago, there was an immortal King who fell in love with a human woman whose beauty surpassed all others. Though many had tried to gain the King's favor, he remained unswayed until he met a human girl of limited years. The girl's courage and bright spirit in the midst of dangerous situations softened his long-cold heart and he fell in love. But as often happens when Immortals and Mortals fall in love, their love ended in tragedy when a jealous Demon Lord murdered her and tried to kill the King, as well. But at the last moment, the King's brother stepped in and saved him. Together, the King and his brother avenged the King's lover and abandoned the throne, never to rule again. Though retaining their immortality, they swore never again to sit on the throne that was their birthright, if it came at such a price. With nothing more to lose, the brothers wandered the world until the end of time, returning to the spot where the King's passed into her next life but once a year. If one listened closely on a quiet spring night when the stars are bright an the moon is clear, the King can still be heard mourning his beloved in the forest where she is buried. And if you wait and are patient, the King and his brother can be seen still, once a year, making their way to the grave of the King's lover. And if one is very, very lucky indeed, an Immortal may deem fit to interfere in the life of a Mortal._

Wen Tian thought it was a lovely story – and remarkably accurate, as well. Of course, there were a few key points that had been left out or changed altogether, but still; remarkable how accurate it was. Mothers used the story now to teach their children that love was always worth fighting for. Every time Wen Tian mentioned the story to his brother, Wu Dao inevitably rolled his eyes – but Wen Tian knew that his brother was touched by the story. He loved knowing that Yu Die's memory would live on – even if her name was forgotten. Wu Dao didn't care if the world knew her name or not; _he_ knew her name and _he_ knew the story was about the two of them – that was enough for Wu Dao.

So lost in thought was he that Wen Tian very nearly missed the shadow of movement in the woods in front of him. Narrowing his eyes, Wen Tian watched the woods carefully for any signs of movement. Just as he was beginning to think that he had imagined the movement, a shadow shifted again. "Wu Dao," he whispered. "There's something out there." He waited for a moment, but there was no answer as the shadow shifted again and multiplied into four separate shadows. " _Wu Dao_ ," he said softly – more urgently this time. Again, there was no answer as the shadows multiplied again and again, shifting closer with every breath. "Big Brother!" Wen Tian cried as an arrow streaked past his cheek.

Wu Dao barely registered the fact that his brother was speaking to him. _Whatever it is, he'll tell me later, if it's important. He knows better than to disturb me here._ The second time, Wu Dao registered only irritation. _If he doesn't shut up, I will do it for him._ It wasn't until he heard the desperate cry of _"Big Brother!"_ that Wu Dao stirred. Rolling to the side, he gained his feet just as an arrow buried itself in ground where his feet had been moments before. His brother was surrounded by demons, and stood alone with his San Cha Ji. Growling, Wu Dao summoned his Dragon Tooth Sword and leaped into the fray. "Little Brother," he called. "Did you think to claim all the fun for yourself?"

Wen Tian laughed with relief, "No, not at all. I was just afraid you'd sleep through it all!"

Wu Dao smirked and pressed his back against his brother's, "As loud as you are? I don't think that is terribly likely." Wen Tian laughed and the pairs leaped into action, hacking and slashing at the attacking demons. "It does not seem that they are simple bandits," Wu Dao observed.

"I agree. It's more like...Assassins. Who do you think sent them?"

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow at his brother, "Does it look like I have more answers than you do just now?"  
Wen Tian chuckled, "Good point." Without another word, the brothers dispatched the attacking demons without much effort. Wen Tian relaxed for a moment before sudden movement caught his eye. "Oh, come on." He groaned as another wave of demons surged towards them. The brothers endured wave after wave of assassins until they began to grow tired from the constant exertion.

After hours of incessant onslaught, Wu Dao grew sloppy for only a moment – but a moment was long enough for one of the assassins to slice viciously at his wrist. Wu Dao watched, stunned, as his bracer split in two and fell uselessly to the forest floor, blood soaking into the now-exposed sleeve. Wu Dao's eyes narrowed in fury seconds before he returned the man's slash with one of his own, easily disemboweling the offender. At the same moment, Wen Tian cried out as a sword bit painfully into his shoulder.

"I hate to say it," Wen Tian began, "but I think we're a little outnumbered."

Just then, Wu Dao's head snapped up as he scented the air and smiled ever-so-slightly, "It's alright. We're not alone anymore. Jui Gui has sent help, it seems."

Wen Tian grinned viciously, "Well, in that case...I'll take the right, you take the left?"

Wu Dao's eyes narrowed dangerously, "If you think you can keep up with me, I'm fine with that arrangement." Wen Tian laughed as he sprung forward, re-energized. With their reinforcements' help, the brothers easily cut through the remaining assassins like a hot knife through butter. At last, the last demon vanished in a puff of smoke and Wu Dao sighed in relief, leaning heavily on his sword until feeling began to return to his numb hands. Flexing his fingers to relieve the tingling, Wu Dao took a deep breath, "The King sent you?"

A soldier nearby snapped to attention, "Yes, my Lord. He believed that you and Lord Wen Tian would be in danger."

Wu Dao turned slowly and raised a sculpted eyebrow, "Oh? And why might that be? We've been peacefully roaming this world for the last one hundred years. Why would someone want to kill us now?" Wu Dao caught his brother's eye and cast him a significant glance.

The soldier shifted uncomfortably, "I'm afraid I've been forbidden to answer that, my Lord." The soldier's hands shook as he continued, "I've also been ordered to bring you and your brother before His Majesty," he finished nervously.

Wu Dao raised his eyebrow again, "Did he, now?" Turning his back to the soldiers, he strode away from them a short distance and clasped his hands behind his back as he waited for his brother to join him. "It's as I feared," he said quietly to Wen Tian. "I was right about those villages we passed three weeks ago."

Wen Tian sighed heavily and nodded, "Yeah. I hate to admit it, but yeah. Looks like you were exactly right. It fits with the attack, too. I can't really think of another reason why someone would want _both_ of us dead. You? Sure. Me? Definitely. Both of us? At the same time? No other reason that I can think of."

Wu Dao nodded thoughtfully, "My sentiments exactly, little brother. Jui Gui has lost control of the Dragon Clan, and whoever it is that is vying for control wants no opposition." He sighed again, "Well, I have little doubt that these poor fools have been given orders to drag us back if they have to."  
Wen Tian smirked, "Well, as amusing a sight as that would be," he began wistfully, "Why don't we make their jobs a bit easier for once?"

Wu Dao narrowed his eyes but shrugged, "If you wish. Let us go and see what our King has to say to us, shall we?"

Yao Yao and her father stood outside the little shack by Yu Die's grave examining it in bemusement. "It's remarkably well-preserved, isn't it, Daddy?"

Professor Ding nodded, a crease between his brows, "It is, indeed." He continued to frown, stroking the bridge of his nose as he thought, "You know...There's an ancient story in this part of the country about a pair of brothers who would visit the elder brother's dead lover every year at exactly the same day and time every single year."

Yao Yao rolled her eyes, "Okay. What's so spectacular about that?"  
The Professor sighed and turned towards his daughter. "Both of the brothers in the story are immortal. And both brothers are said to have been seen as recently as last year – by _reputable_ sources!"  
Yao Yao's face paled and her knees trembled, "You don't think...It isn't possible that it could be..." She didn't dare to finish her sentence, for fear that she might go mad at the very sound of the idea. "No. No, it's impossible. It must be a coincidence," she muttered desperately to herself. "There is no _way_ they're both still alive."

Professor Ding smiled patiently but remained silent. _The girl thinks she's fooling herself, poor thing. She'll come to realize soon enough that it would be a miracle, not some sort of tragedy if that young man is still alive. Well...I supposed_ _ **young**_ _would be the wrong word now, wouldn't it?_ Professor Ding nearly chuckled at his own thoughts but managed to keep a straight face as Yao Yao turned towards him with a fragile expression on her face.

"It can't be possible, can it, Daddy? It can't really be them, right?"  
Her father watched her closely for a moment before returning his gaze to the building in front of them, "Well, I don't know...It _is_ awfully well-preserved, as you pointed out." Yao Yao waited anxiously as her father gathered his thoughts. "Given the location and preservation, I'd have to say that it's at least a possibility that they are still very much alive and well."

Yao Yao's lip trembled, "Yes, but...it could have been the locals that kept it so nice?"  
Professor Ding shook his head slowly, "Given the local stories...They would likely stay very far from this site to keep from incurring the older – and crankier – brother's wrath."

Yao Yao sighed, "That does sound like Wu Dao," she admitted shakily. "Well, I suppose there's really no other way than to find out, is there? If those two are still alive, I am going to find them, if it is the last thing I do." Out of the corner of her eye, Yao Yao saw a shadow detach itself from deeper shadows and head off in a different direction. She wasn't sure who or why, but _someone_ was definitely watching them.

***Author's Note***

Hehe. Well, you'll get more answers next time, my lovelies! Let me know what you thought of the chapter. I'm really quite enjoying this story, and I hope you lot are, too. As ever, thanks for reading and lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	9. Chapter 9

***Author's Notes***

Good Evening, my lovelies! We're starting to get into the good, meaty bits of this one! The plot, as they say, thickens! I'm really enjoying this one - when I get the time to work on it, that is! I had to get my brakes done today, so I sat and wrote for two hours while they worked on the car! I'm not complaining (except for the money I spent XD). Anyway, I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am, dears. Enjoy!

***End Note***

Yao Yao crossed her ankles on her father's coffee table and interlaced her fingers behind her head, pressing her shoulders deep into the back of the couch. She groaned as her back popped in numerous places, releasing more tension than she had realized had built up. Sighing happily, she closed her eyes and relished in the creature comforts of the modern age. _Be honest,_ she thought to herself. _If you had the choice, you'd give up the modern world and go back to where_ _ **he**_ _was. You miss him more than you thought you would, don't you?_

Yao Yao sighed again as her father watched her from the stairs, shaking his head sadly. It's days like these that I wish – for your sake – that you had stayed back in that time."

She smiled and peeked at her father out of one eye, "It's funny; we were thinking exactly the same thing." Her father crossed the room and sat next to her on the couch. She waited for him to settle in briefly before she drew her knees up to her chest and pillowed her head on his shoulder, "If I'd known it would hurt like this, I would never have come back, Daddy."

Professor Ding nodded, "And I would have missed you very much – but you would have been happier. Ah, it's difficult to say what is the right thing to do in this sort of situation. Would it have been better to stay, or is it better the way it is now? It is not for us to say, my dear. But it is my experience that the universe has a plan of it's own. If you and he are truly meant to be together, then he will find you. Or _you_ will find _him_. I wouldn't worry too much about things like wishing you had done this differently or done that sooner. If you do, you'll just make yourself miserable, my dear."

Yao Yao smiled into her father's shoulder, "Thanks, Daddy."

Wen Tian watched as his brother's back grew stiffer and straighter as they got deeper and deeper into the Dragon Clan's territory. It had been over one hundred years since his brother had been to his homeland, and he had never intended to return – as far as Wen Tian could tell. As they drew closer to the Capital City, Wen Tian noted a marked difference between this and the incident in the kingdom of Shu. Where there had been nothing but anger and suspicion in the eyes of the humans of the Shu kingdom, every Dragon they passed looked upon Wu Dao and even Wen Tian with great respect and pride. Many even bowed as they passed by. While Wen Tian relished in the unaccustomed feeling, it seemed that it had the opposite effect on Wu Dao. The more recognition he received, the more uncomfortable he grew.

Wen Tian grimaced in sympathy; his brother had always striven for perfection above all other things, and now that he felt he had utterly failed in that goal, he was of the opinion that he had no further right to rule. It was no use for Wen Tian to attempt to argue the point with him, either – as he had discovered through experience. There was only one living person in any of the realms who could convince Wu Dao otherwise was the man who currently sat on the throne and had summoned them before him – Jui Gui. But even then, it wasn't a guarantee. Wu Dao was notoriously difficult to convince of _anything_ that he didn't want to be convinced of. If he didn't want anything further to do with the Dragon Clan, then there was no way in any of the known – or unknown – worlds to get him to decide otherwise. Wen Tian knew that Wu Dao had his own reasons for abandoning the Dragon Clan, and that nothing could ever make him betray those reasons. _At least, I don't think there's anything_ , he thought to Dao and Wen Tian approached the throne with caution forefront in their minds.

Jui Gui sat on the throne as though it were made of needles with his right elbow resting on the arm on the throne and his chin on his closed fist. His feet were spread wide to either side and his shoulders slumped with weariness. He had never been able to sit easily on the seat; he always said that it weighed on him like gravity itself. The king who had never wanted to rule watched out of the corner of one half-closed eye them as they approached, weighing every move they made with a skeptical mind as though he was looking for how they were plotting against him. Jui Gui hadn't exactly aged in the one hundred years since Wen Tian had last seen him...but he _had_ grown quieter – and he looked tired now. Wen Tian hoped that whatever reason had brought them here, they could be back to their wanderings soon.

As they came to a stop before the throne, Jui Gui leaned forward, resting his hands on his knees and letting out a heavy sigh, "Do you have any idea how long I have been looking for you, Wu Dao?"

Wu Dao bowed, "Yes, Your Majesty."

Jui Gui waited for a long moment, but Wu Dao said nothing further. Scowling, he continued, "You are _not_ an easy man to find. If I didn't know any better, I'd say that you were a man who had something to hide." Sitting back, he tried to make himself sit as straight as possible – a feat made difficult by stress, exhaustion, and many years of restless sleep. "I heard about the incident in Shu one hundred years ago. That was well handled, in my opinion. You would have been well within your rights to raise that city to the ground." He paused until Wu Dao looked him in the eyes. "But I am glad that you did not. It would have been a shame to kill Yu Die's father." Wu Dao stiffened, "I know you are angry with me. Please do forgive me, but things have become...critical."

Wu Dao glanced at his brother and nodded, "It's as I predicted," he said quietly to his brother.

Wen Tian nodded in return, his brow furrowed with worry, "Yeah, I had the feeling. You're not usually wrong when it comes to things like this. They must be desperate to have sent men for you at the grave. There isn't anyone in the Clan who doesn't know the foolishness of disturbing you there."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow, "True. And yet, here we are. I had hoped never to look on that throne again." He shivered, "I find these halls... _colder_ than they were before. Funny how I wanted nothing more than this one hundred years ago, and now I find it...constricting."

"Yeah, I know. It makes me wonder what could possibly be so important that they would go to such lengths to find you...and that someone would go to such lengths to keep you from coming back." Wen Tian leveled a significant glance at Jui Gui. "So. What are we up against? Who is trying to steal the throne from you?"

A guard stepped forward, "Watch your mouth, half-breed. You're lucky His Majesty is allowing you here out of loyalty to the former king, not to you."

Wu Dao glared at the guard, "You must think yourself brave for speaking to him that way," he said menacingly. "He may only be half dragon, but he is still my brother."

The guard paled and bowed, "Yes, My Lord. Forgive my rudeness."

Jui Gui cleared his throat and the hall fell silent, "I am not surprised that you both are already apprised of the situation. The only bit of information you seem to be missing is the name of the would-be usurper." He paused and held Wu Dao's gaze, his expression grave. "Bai Jaw-Long."

Wu Dao stiffened and paled, "Are you certain?" Jui Gui nodded, "Well then you made a wise decision, bringing me back here. Bai Jaw-Long is a worthy adversary, to be sure."

Wen Tian glanced between the current king and the previous one as Jui Gui stood and begun to pace worriedly, "Okay. So, who is this guy, and why are you both so scared of him?"

Jui Gui and Wu Dao glanced at each other before the former king turned to his younger brother, "He is the son of the man our father overthrew to become king."

Wen Tian's eyebrows shot up in surprise, "That bastard? He's still alive? I thought our father killed the former king and his entire family to keep exactly this from happening?"

Wu Dao sighed, "He thought he had, but one of his sons was hidden away from father. That was why he was so insistent on me taking the throne and you being there to provide me with stability. If he has resurfaced after all these years, then my guess would be that he has been planning this for a very long time. Probably since I gave up the throne – before that, even. He is a very powerful man; I came across him once when I was king. He very nearly killed me."

Wen Tian crossed his arms and spread his legs, leaning back slightly, "So. What do you need us for? Can't you just overwhelm him with the army and kill him before he has the chance to escape?"

Jui Gui sighed and sunk slowly into a seat, "We tried that already. He knew we were coming and was able to amass an army of his own. We took heavy losses. He has been slowly chipping away at our forces for the last thirty years. Every time I turn around, I hear another report of his forces ambushing mine. They have an uncanny ability to strike when my forces are at their most vulnerable and be gone before anyone knows what has happened. No matter how secretive our meetings are, word somehow gets to him."  
"He has a spy in your ranks," Wu Dao concluded. Jui Gui nodded, "Likely more than one. Have you any thoughts on who the culprit may be?"

Jui Gui ran his hands through his hair, "No. Everywhere I look seems to lead only to further questions. But one thing is certain. He wants this throne, and he wants to eliminate anyone who stands in his way."

Wen Tian rolled his shoulders, "Well, now that we've been warned I doubt it'll be as easy for him as he was hoping."

Wu Dao was not satisfied, "What do you want from us?"

Jui Gui watched his former Lord apprehensively, "I was hoping to convince you to return to the throne."

Wen Tian watched his brother's hands curl into fists of rage, "You know what my feelings are on this matter."

He sighed again and nodded, "I know, my Lord. But the revolt was started under the guise that they feel I am an unfit king. The idea has garnered a great deal of attention and support. Were you to return..."

"No," Wu Dao said with such acidic finality that even Wen Tian glanced at him with apprehension. "Never in this life or any other will I sit on that throne again."

Far from the palace in a well-hidden farm far from prying eyes, Bai Jaw-Long leaned on a long, low table that was scattered with maps, reports, plans, dockets, equipment orders, and plates with half-eaten food. "Repeat those words to me," he growled.

"Wu Dao and Wen Tian escaped and are now in the Palace with Jui Gui." The man shifted nervously as he watched his master with apprehension.

Bai Jaw-Long raised himself to his full, impressive height at nearly 6 feet and two inches and scowled at the man, crossing his arms over his impressive chest, his long, ebony hair hanging in a long tail down his back. He had the build of a formidable warrior, and his physique was no lie. He was a master in every type of weapon imaginable, not to mention the sheer amount of magical power he commanded. He was not a man to act rashly, nor did he take _any_ action at all without considering it first for many many years. He was five thousand years Wu Dao's senior and commanded an impressive force that was unswerving in its loyalty to him. "You failed to kill the only men in this world who can put a stop to our plans and they are now with the pretender who sits on the throne?"

"Yes, My Lord," the man said tremulously.

Bai Jaw-Long's hands trembled with rage. "What about our spies in the palace? What information do they have for us?"

"Jui Gui is going to try to get Wu Dao to agree to taking the throne once more so that our rebellion will lose it legitimacy," he nearly whispered.

Bai Jaw-Long rubbed his hands over his face, "And now neither of them has a weakness, save each other. If only their women were still...reachable. I would have some kind of leverage against them then."

The man rubbed his hands nervously on his legs, "But there does seem to be some kind of hope, My Lord." Jaw-Long peered through his hands at the man and raised an eyebrow, inviting him to continue. "It seems that the rumors about Wu Dao having lost his will to fight unless forced are true. Jui Gui is having a hard time convincing him to return to the throne. If this continues..."

Jaw-Long smiled wickedly, "We may be able to us it to our advantage."

***Asuthor's Note***

I can't wait for y'all to see where this is going. I'm so excited to be really getting into the thick of it now with you lot. I'm hoping to be able to get another chapter up tonight. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	10. Chapter 10

***Author's Note***

Good Evening again, my dears! A rare treat for you: two chapters in one night! I hope you enjoy!

***End Note***

Yao Yao stretched and rubbed her neck, studying for the thousandth time maps and pictures from the small dig she and her father had been on for the past several weeks. Since the site had been over such a small area, they had been able to thoroughly search the area in only a few weeks. It was not unusual for a larger dig to take months or even years. It had been a nice little break for her to go work in the field that she so loved again rather than sitting behind a desk or talking in front of a class for hours on end. The one picture that kept drawing her attention, though, was the one of the hut that Wu Dao had once built with his own hands. She knew that someone must have been making sure that it remained in good shape. There weren't many who knew the significance of that hut, and fewer who would have gone to the lengths of keeping it in good condition for the past three thousand years. In her heart, she knew that it must be Wu Dao, and if Wu Dao was still alive, then it was highly likely that Wen Tian was still alive. Her heart nearly stopped every time she thought of the possibility that she might see him again.

Moving aside piles of photographs and maps, she searched until she unearthed the maps that she was certain detailed the location of the Dragon Tomb. She thought that if she was able to unearth the tomb, she would finally feel like it had all been real. Not to mention the fact that it would be a massive boost to her father's career. She had to get the owner of the property to agree to the dig. She whipped out her phone and dialed her father's number. "Daddy, I want you to set up a meeting with Dragon Holdings," she said as soon as he answered.

" _Really? Why? They've already turned me down six times; what makes you think they may change their minds this time?_ "

"Simple. I'll be going with you this time, Daddy. And _I_ won't be taking no for an answer. I have a feeling that they won't be able to say no to me quite so easily."

Her father was silent for a moment, mulling it over, " _You may have a point there. I am only_ _ **an**_ _expert in Nan Yue. You,my dearest daughter, are known throughout the world as_ _ **the**_ _expert in Nan Yue. It may be a better selling point if you are there. I think this may have at least the chance of working,_ " he conceded.

Wu Dao and Wen Tian had been in the palace for nearly a month when Jaw-Long made his move. Jui Gui had taken a wife before he had become king, and it seemed that she had become rather homesick over the last few months. Before Wu Dao and Wen Tian had been brought to the palace, she had gone to her family a few cities away for a visit. She had sent word a few days ago that she missed her beloved husband and wished to return to his side, where she belonged, In her message, she had stated that she was hastening to the palace and eagerly awaited the moment when she would see her husband again. Wu Dao had nearly squirmed when the queen's message had been read; Wen Tian understood better than anyone else in the room how his brother was feeling, as it was a feeling they shared. Both of them were irreparably separated from the woman they loved and had been forced to listen to a message that gushed with the love they were missing.

Not a day after the queen's message had arrived, Jaw-Long and his men had surrounded her caravan and destroyed it, taking to queen as their captive and murdering all who had been with her. That had been three days ago and there had been no further word. There were no demands and no explanation as to what her kidnappers wanted. Currently, Jui Gui sat at the strategy table with his face in his hands, his posture that of the utterly defeated. Wen Tian watched him, his heart weeping for his brother's old friend. Just yesterday, Wen Tian had discussed the situation with his brother.

 _"_ _I really think we should be doing_ _ **something**_ _to help," Wen Tian said. "He used to mean so much to you. You haven't forgotten that, have you?"  
Wu Dao scowled at his brother, "Of course I haven't. But listen to me, little brother. This is none of our business. We should just keep our heads down until everything has been settled...one way or another."_

 _Wen Tian stared at his brother in disbelief, "I can't believe what I'm hearing from you right now. You're turning your back on them? On your own CLAN!? Please tell me I'm misunderstanding something."_

 _Wu Dao crossed his arms over his muscular chest and sighed, "You are not," he replied stiffly._

 _Wen Tian picked up the nearest thing he could reach -which happened to be a very expensive-looking chair – and threw it across the room, where it promptly shattered against the wall. Outside, he could hear a number of people – servants and guards alike – scrambling to get better positions so they could more clearly hear what the brothers were arguing about. "I can't believe you! Why? You at least owe me that much. Tell me WHY!"_

 _Wu Dao growled at his brother, "I owe you_ _ **nothing**_ _."_

 _Wen Tian recoiled like he had been slapped, "You owe me nothing? It took me months to find you after Yu Die died and I've followed you faithfully for the last one hundred years. I've never questioned your judgment and I've never disobeyed any order you've given me. Until now. You owe me this much, Wu Dao. After everything you've put me through for the vast majority of my life, you owe me this." As he spoke, his voice has slowly risen until he was bellowing at the top of his lungs._

 _Wu Dao hurled the goblet that he had just taken a sip from at his brother, shattering it across his face and leaving a number of long, jagged gashes in his cheek, "If I help them, it is one step closer to me becoming king again, and that is the last thing that I want," he bellowed back. "I hate it here! I never wanted to come back. If we just sit here and wait, eventually Jui Gui will realize that he has no hope of changing my mind, and he will let us go. I refuse to get caught up in this fight that has absolutely nothing to do with us, little brother. I will not watch another person that I love die. I learned my lesson getting involved in wars that have little or nothing to do with me."_

 _Wen Tian fell silent, his mind racing. "Did you just say you love me?"_

 _Wu Dao shifted uncomfortably, "Should I not love my brother?"_

 _Wen Tian felt tears welling in his eyes. His brother had never uttered those words in his entire life – not to him, at least. "You know this isn't what Yu Die would want. She would want you to stay and help."_

 _Wu Dao stiffened again, "Yes, and Yu Die is dead. She is dead, and it may as well have been at my hands. I refuse to allow you to take the same risks. I will not take back the throne, and I will not fight Jui Gui's battles for him. I am sorry that his wife has been taken, but it is not my concern."_

 _Wen Tian shook his head at his brother, "And I think that is the most disappointing thing I have ever heard you say. Don't you think you could better keep me safe by doing exactly what the Clan is begging you to do? If you don't, then you and I will be Bai Jaw-Long's targets fort the rest of our lives. Personally, I'd rather not live like that." Wu Dao remained silent. "Fine," Wen Tian said quietly, feeling suddenly defeated. "Do whatever you want, big brother. I'll still love you, no matter what you choose. But I am going to do everything I can to help Jui Gui. If nothing else, to honor the friendship he shared with you and with Yu Die. I haven't yet forgotten that he wept over her grave. I'm sorry, brother; but you can't order me not to join this battle. That is one order of yours that I will never follow. Join me or not, we're still brothers and I'll follow you anywhere until the day that I die, but I refuse to stay out of this one."_

The brothers hadn't spoken since the argument, and the palace had been alive with whispers that stopped whenever one of them appeared, only to start again once they were gone. Wen Tian was used to them; he'd been whispered about for his entire life. Wu Dao, however, was unused to the whispers, and Wen Tian could tell that it was beginning to wear on his brother's nerves. Bringing his attention back to the matter at hand, Wen Tian took a deep breath and stepped forward, "Your Majesty. If I may, I have some thoughts on how we can safely retrieve the queen."

One of the Generals that had gathered in the room sneered at him, "Next time I want the opinion of the filthy half-breed brother of a failed king, I'll let you know."  
Wen Tian smiled nastily at the man, "You want to say that again?"

"What? Are you deaf? I don't see big brother around to protect you now, boy."

Wen Tian chuckled, "Oh, I don't need him to fight my battles for me. I've been fighting my own battles for a long time now. I just let him because it makes him feel better. So, I'll ask again: you want to say that again?"

The man laughed as he leaned forward so that only Wen Tian would hear him, "It must be so difficult for you to have watched that whore mother of yours burn. Personally, I don't know why that failure of a father of yours didn't kill her himself. Being a bastard is never easy, is it?"

Wen Tian allowed the smile to slide slowly off of his face. "That was rude," he said calmly seconds before he reared back and slammed the top of his head into the General's chin as hard as he could. While the man was still reeling from the blow, Wen Tian melted around to the man's side and brought his knee into the man's gut with all the force he could muster.

As the man slid to the ground wheezing, the doors burst open and Wu Dao strode in. Taking in the scene before him for a moment, he sighed. "For the record," he began quietly, "I only fight my brother's battles for him to avoid scenes like this. _Not_ because he is incapable of fighting his own." Guilt shot across his face as he took in Jui Gui's condition. Crossing to the king, Wu Dao laid a gentle hand on his the king's shoulder, "Forgive me, old friend, for abandoning you in your hour of need. You stood by me in mine, and I was recently – and _loudly –_ reminded that I still owe you a debt for that." Jui Gui stood and clasped Wu Dao's wrist tightly in gratitude, prompting a near-smile from him. "Now. Let us hear my brother's ideas, shall we?" In the simple statement was a subtle threat that had the General paling and bowing nervously. Not another word was spoken against Wen Tian during the war meeting.

***Author's Note***

Oh, goodness I'm enjoying this story - maybe more than I should! As ever, my lovelies, thank you for reading and until next time, lots of love from Casa De Darkwind!

\- Lady Darkwind


	11. Chapter 11

***Author's Note***

Good evening, lovelies! I hope you haven't been going _too_ mad over the lack of progress on this story! Hopefully, I'll be able to put up a lot more this week. Luckily, we're just about at the halfway point here! Anyway, I hope you enjoy it!

****End Note***

Yao Yao drew a deep breath and wrung her hands nervously as she and her father entered the lobby of a massive, intimidating tower in the middle of Shanghai that served as the headquarters for Dragon Holdings. The building was an impressive skyscraper that lived up to its name; it was built in the most modern style with massive pure white marble wrapping elegantly around what seemed like miles of perfectly polished glass. The building tapered to an elegant point, as did the marble that wrapped around it. It gave one the impression of a crystal tat had been wrapped in fine gold. The sun was just beginning to set as Yao Yao and her father had arrived, and it glinted off the building in what was both an attractive manner as well as an intimidating one. A building like this one almost made you _believe_ in the existence of Dragons. Yao Yao shuffled her feet self-consciously as a stunningly beautiful woman stood from behind the receptionist's desk and glided over to them on her five-inch Louboutin's in a stunning scarlet that perfectly accented the pure white Ralph Lauren wrap dress she was wearing, accompanied by a plunging neckline and a single, perfect garnet the size of a chicken egg that hung from a delicate strand of pure gold around her neck. The woman's waist-length curtain of smooth, shiny and perfectly arranged hair swung gently as she came to a graceful halt in front of them.

"Good evening. Do you have an appointment?" Her voice was like cultured cream, and her smile perfectly white – she was nearly as intimidating as the building itself, but in a more gentle, panther-like way. Yao Yao was certain that this woman was no pushover.

Clearing her throat, Yao Yao stammered, "Uh, y-yes. We have a six o'clock meeting with the President."

The woman's brow furrowed in confusion for a moment before her stunning face smoothed over again, "Ah, I see. This way, please. You must be Professor Ding."

Smiling, Yao Yao's father took pity on her as he straightened the tie he rarely wore, "I am, yes. And this is my daughter, Ding Yao."

The receptionist's head rotated towards Yao Yao with a sharp, keen interest. "Is she, now?" Her eyes narrowed in speculation for a moment as Yao Yao straightened her own comparatively messy simple white cotton dress and black leather half-jacket. "Unfortunately, the President is busy with other matters and will be unable to attend. His assistant will be meeting with you." Somehow, the way she said _other matters_ made it sound like she meant _more important_ matters. The woman led them into a sterile-looking elevator up fifty-seven floors and down a long, wide hallway lined with stunningly beautiful and spacious offices and conference rooms on either way. Most of these had glass walls, but the one they were ushered into was more traditional with handsome, wood-paneled walls and a massive oak conference table in the middle of the room with a number of austere, richly padded leather office chairs all around it. Yao Yao swallowed hard as she looked around the starkly beautiful room, sitting beside her father and feeling like a bundle of nerves.

After about ten minutes, the sound of very expensive men's shoes clip-clopping authoritatively down the hall was clearly heard and about half a dozen men entered, looking very worn and weary. "Ah. Professor Ding Yao. This is, what? Your seventh attempt to get us to allow you access to that bit of land? Do you have any further information for us, or are you just here to waste our time again?"

Yao Yao felt her temper rising. She cleared her throat, "I'm sorry, but my father didn't request this meeting for himself. He requested it on my behalf."

The man glanced coldly in her direction, condescending amusement turning his mouth into a sneer, "Oh? And who might you be?"

Yao Yao raised an eyebrow, "If you're going to be rude, you should introduce yourself first." She sat back and crossed her arms over her chest, suddenly feeling very stubborn.

The man closed his eyes in what seemed like a poorly-veiled eye roll, "I am Chen Liang, Assistant to the President of Dragon Holding. Now, young lady. What is your name?"

"I am Ding Yao, the world's leading expert in Nan Yue, and it is _I_ who is requesting access, not my father."

Chen Liang's eyebrow arched, "Well, that _is_ a change, isn't it?" He glanced to the other men seated around the table. "Very well, then. We will hear your case. _Again_."

Yao Yao's eyes narrowed and she had just laid her hands flat on the table to stand and give the man a piece of her mind when there was a commotion in the hallway outside. The door burst suddenly open and a very harassed-looking mouse of a man nearly fell into the room in his haste, babbling nervously, "He's here," he kept repeating. "He's here. He's here. He came."

Chen Liang didn't even bother to attempt to hide the eye roll, " _Who_ is coming?"

The mousy fellow paled, " _Him_ ," was all he could manage.

Chen Liang's brow furrowed in irritation before something seemed to occur to him which caused the blood to drain from his face, "You...You don't mean...Not _**him**_? What is _he_ doing here!?"

The mousy one wrung his hands, "I don't know, sir. But he's heading for this conference room!"

Chen Liang paled still further as more commotion was heard in the hallway as employees scuttled around in their haste to line the hallway, bowing in respect and, unless Yao Yao was wrong, fear. Chen Liang and the other men shoved hastily to their feet as a dozen large, muscular men in fine, starkly-cut black suits filed into the room, glancing around in the not-so-nonchalant way that betrayed them as professional bodyguards. One touched his finger to the wire in his ear and said softly, "It's clear."

Completely still silence descended as another, gentler set of footsteps was head coming down the hall. Though they were gentler, they were no less authoritative. However, the sound of this footstep was that of one _born_ to power, rather than one who had taken what they could. Something about that footstep seemed inherently familiar to Yao Yao, and she was standing before she had consciously decided to. Her hands trembled as the footsteps came nearer and nearer; finally, their owner breached the corner and entered the room. He wore the finest suit Yao Yao had ever seen; it was a charcoal gray with a sapphire blue dress shirt and a matching charcoal gray tie that was just a _shade_ lighter than the suit. A handkerchief that _perfectly_ matched the shirt he wore was tucked just so into the suit coat's pocket. One hand was in his trousers pocket while the other shoved a lock of shockingly-white, shoulder-length hair behind his ear. Yao Yao's breath came in short gasps, and her father took her hand, trying to ascertain what was wrong – his question was answered when she whispered, "Wu...Dao?"

Wu Dao's gaze snapped to hers and his dark eyes widened in shock, "Yao Yao?" For a moment, he said nothing more, staring at her in shock. At last, a small smile graced his lips for a short moment before he arched an elegant eyebrow, "I was wondering who it was that would be so persistent – that is why I came. It makes sense now that I see who is behind it." Yao Yao couldn't hold herself back; she was so relieved to have real, tangible proof that she wasn't insane and that Nan Yue had been _real_ that she hurtled around the corner of the table, tears streaming down her face in joy. Wu Dao twitched a finger towards his guards who had begun to move to intercept her, stilling them instantly. Yao Yao wrapped her arms around him, sobbing into his chest. Raising his eyebrow again, Wu Dao waited patiently with his hands clasped behind his back. He half-smiled again, patting her gently on the shoulder, "That is enough, now. Remember where you are."

Yao Yao straightened suddenly and bowed, "I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to be rude."

Wu Dao chuckled – once. "It is of no concern. If I did not wish you to be near me, you would not be. So; you wish to access my land, do you?" Yao Yao wiped her eyes with the back of her hand for a moment before she noticed the handsome sapphire blue kerchief that Wu Dao was holding out to her. She took it gratefully and dried her eyes with it before handing it back to him. He inclined his head politely and stowed the kerchief back in place before taking her gently by the elbow and steering her back to her chair. "Get the Professors some water, if you please." He said it pleasantly enough, but even such a softly worded request was met with instant obedience.

Within moments, Yao Yao had a glass of ice-cold water in front of her, as did her father. "Thank you," she said sheepishly. "Now, if we can discuss business. I think that I have a very good case for digging on that land. It is my belief that a tomb that was very important to Nan Yue lies on that land."

Wu Dao's expression was filled with ironic amusement, "Oh, is that so? May I see your research?" Yao Yao handed it over without argument, nodding every now and then at something he had read, "Well, this research is very thorough. Since it is you, I will allow it." Without a word, he held out his hand to the man directly to his right, and it was suddenly filled with a manila envelope that contained a contract that was ready to be signed.

Chen Liang seemed suddenly to find his voice, "But...wait; you can't..."

The man never finished his sentence. Wu Dao's gaze snapped around to glare at the man. "What did you just say?" he inquired with a quiet rage in his voice. "Do you presume to possess such authority that you can order _me_ around? If you think that your rudeness to those with whom you meet on my behalf has gone unnoticed, then you are an even greater fool than I took you for. One more word out of you, and you will be out of a job, am I understood?" Chen Liang paled again and bowed, completely at a loss for words. Wu Dao glared at the man for another moment before his expression returned to normal, "So. Do you need to have a lawyer look these over before you sign them? I assure you that the terms are more than fair."

Yao Yao and her father exchanged excited glances, "No, it's fine. I trust you. Oh, by the way...how is..." Wu Dao narrowed his eyes and shook his head. _Later_ , was the look in his eyes. "Never mind," she mumbled as she signed the paperwork.

***Author's Note***

The plot, as they say, thickens! Hope you enjoyed the chapter, my dear ones! Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	12. Chapter 12

***Author's Note***

So, things get a little more serious in this chapter; I hope you'll love it as much as I did. Pleasant reading!

***End Note***

Wen Tian's plan, it seemed, had been the only offering that was not half-baked at best or outright suicidal at worst. That being said, it was not without a great deal of personal risk – but only for himself. That fact had not made it a popular option for Wu Dao. However, it seemed that most of the remainder of the War Council viewed the idea in a direct juxtaposition to Wu Dao's feelings, so it was Wen Tian's plan that they ran with. His idea was to allow himself to be taken as a prisoner and discover the Queen's location. While playing helpless captive, Wu Dao and Jui Gui were to bring the remainder of the Dragon Clan's army and surround the enemy's encampment. Wu Dao would send a signal that only he and Wen Tian would understand when they in position. Once he received the signal, Wen Tian was to take the Queen and get her to a safe location of his choosing so that Wu Dao and Jui Gui could attack freely without fear of the Queen being injured or killed. In Wen Tian's mind, it was the only option because he would not risk either the current King, or the King that _should_ be on the throne. In his mind, Wen Tian was utterly expendable and therefore the only person who could go.

The night before Wen Tian had headed out on his questionable mission, Wu Dao had cornered him in the suite that they shared. For a long time, he had stood silently, glowering at his brother. Just as Wen Tian was beginning to squirm with discomfort, Wu Dao had sighed heavily and done the utterly unexpected – he had wrapped his brother in the most awkward one-armed hug that has ever existed in the long and distinguished history of hugging. "You'd better come back," he said gruffly. "I expect to be irritated by you many more times on our journeys together before you leave me." Wu Dao released his brother quickly and turned his back on the half-demon, his shoulders rigid, so that Wen Tian would not see the worry in his eyes.

Now, huddled behind a spare bit of greenery on a hill above a band of heavily-armored men that were _definitely_ not with the regular army, Wen Tian was beginning to have second thoughts. As quietly as he could, Wen Tian sighed. _Oh, well_ , he thought to himself. _It's too late to turn back now. I can only imagine what that damn general would say if I did, anyway. I don't think I could take it. Well, here we go. Better make this look good._

Without any further hesitation, Wen Tian worked his way silently back down the way he had come up, staying out of sight the whole way. Glancing down, he brushed off his clothes so it didn't look like he'd been laying in the dirt and assumed what he hoped was a casual pace. As he came around the corner, Wen Tian tried his best to look surprised at the presence of the heavily-armed men. "What are you doing here?" He demanded, "Shouldn't you be getting ready with the rest of the army? The King will not be pleased to find you here. Report to your superiors immediately, and _maybe_ I won't mention this to my brother."

Wen Tian's idle threats were met with astonishment and outright amusement. One snorted and stared incredulously at Wen Tian. "I can't believe it," he snorted derisively, "This idiot has mistaken us for soldiers of that pathetic Dragon Army." He and his compatriots chortled stupidly. "Here we've been searching everywhere for this fool, and he turns up right in front of us. Thank you, little Princeling. You've been of great help to us." Internally, Wen Tian raised an eyebrow. _At least I don't have to go as far as picking a fight with them – they were already looking for one. Well, it's definite now; we have a spy in our ranks. As soon as I get back, I'm going to break some skulls until I figure out who it is._ He feigned shock and fear, stumbling back and thrust his hand to the side, summoning San Cha Ji. He seemed to put up a good fight, killing a number of the men, but allowed them to disarm him in the end – the moment San Cha Ji left his hand, he banished it back to his eye so that the weapon would not fall into their hands. He braced himself as best he could for the blow he knew was coming, but prepared as he was it still made stars pop in front of his eyes. He allowed himself to go limp as he knew they expected, permitting the largest of them to toss him over a rather beefy shoulder and cart him away. The whole way, he bounced uncomfortably along with the man's shoulder in his gut as the man clomped along, laughing stupidly with his comrades.

After more time than he expected had passed, he realized with dismay that he would soon have to "stir", or they would begin to think that they had killed him. _Brother, you'd better be near, like you promised_ , he thought before he gave a grunt and began to shift on the man's shoulder. "Looks like he's wakin' up," came a voice somewhere to Wen Tian's left. Wen Tian knew he wouldn't be able to brace himself this time without giving himself away. As he expected, there came an answering grunt from his right and a whistling sound seconds before pain exploded in his head again and he lost consciousness – this in truth.

Wu Dao watched as his brother shifted on the beastly shoulder of a brutish man, only to be bludgeoned yet again. _He must have been marking the time that he's been prisoner. It would not do for him to be discovered now; everything would be lost. He's counting on me utterly now; I can't fail him._ Turning to the small band that Jui Gui had assigned to this mission with him, Wu Dao narrowed his eyes and pursed his lips, "My brother has been knocked unconscious – truly this time – in order to keep from being discovered. He is depending on us to mark the way to our enemy's hiding place. If any of you does not think that my brother can depend on your for his safety, leave now." Wu Dao glared stonily at the men surrounding him and nodded, "Very well, then. Mark the way well, then. And do not hesitate to strike should Wen Tian seem to be in trouble. I will not risk my brother's life. He is too powerful to waste in such a manner." The men glanced at each other at this final statement, clearly not believing his reasons, but none daring speak and incur the infamous wrath of Wu Dao.

Many hours later, Wu Dao watched as the men carted his brother into what looked like an abandoned farmhouse. He felt a trickle of fear run down his spine, realizing that the glimpse of his brother's shaggy black hair may be the last he would ever have. Turning with naked worry in his eyes, he whispered, "Which of you is the swiftest messenger?" A slightly-built man raised his hand. "Very good. You will return at speed to Jui Gui and inform him of the enemy's location. The rest of us will wait here for him. Be quick – I do not wish to leave my brother at the mercy of those men any longer than is necessary."

Wen Tian woke with the worst headache he had ever had in his life. He groaned, wincing at the rusty taste of blood in his mouth, spitting as best he could around his cracked and swollen lips. "I'm sorry," came a genteel voice from far to his right, "I tried to stop them, but they just shoved me aside. I'm afraid I'm not a very talented fighter – my husband was always far better in that area than I am. Are you in a great deal of pain?"

Wen Tian tried to stand and gasped at the sudden – and unexpected – pain in his back. "Let me guess," he grunted bitterly, "they just had to take their shots at the unconscious half-demon brother of the great Wu Dao."

The woman sighed, "Yes. I'm sorry."

Wen Tian chuckled, "No need to be; I'm used to it by now. I assume this is Bai Jaw-Long's hiding place?"

"Yes," she said quietly. I'm afraid that there is no escape once you're in his clutches. Heavens know I've tried many times since they brought me here, but obviously to no success." The poor woman sounded like she was on the verge of tears, and if there was one thing that unnerved Wen Tian, it was a crying woman.

"Now, don't you worry. I've been in worse situations than this," he said as he struggled to sit up and turn to look at the woman – what he saw stopped his breath and twisted his gut with rage. There in the corner was – quite possibly – the most beautiful woman he had ever seen. Her skin was as soft and white as fresh snow and her sheet of waist-length ebony hair shone like some kind of precious stone in the sparse light. Her every line spoke of breeding and elegance, but her perfect face was marred by a terrible, multi-colored bruise. And unless his eyes were deceiving him, there were more bruises on her arms, neck, and legs – and that was just what he could see. There was blood caked around her mouth and nose, as well as the hem and sleeves of her dress. His eyes clouded over with rage as he took in her appearance, "Your Majesty. What have they done to you?" Struggling to his feet, he made his way over to the terrified woman and sat next to her, slinging a comforting arm around her slim shoulders. He leaned his head close so that his mouth was close to her ear and breathed, "Now, you don't think your husband would send me if he didn't think he could get us both out, do you? He wouldn't risk my brother's wrath if anything were to happen to me. But then again, if something _did_ happen to me, I don't think there would be a single living thing left in the area once he was done."

The woman tensed for a moment before breathing back, "My husband sent you? I...I thought he lacked the courage." She blushed in shame at the confession.

Wen Tian smiled, "Not when Wu Dao and I stand with him. Your husband is trying to convince my brother to return as king, as am I. I think that between the two of us, we should manage it, don't you?"

"Why?" She breathed.

Wen Tian chuckled, "Because he was happier as King. He wouldn't believe it if you told him, but he was. He needs something to distract him from his loss, or he'll waste away. The thought of him fading from existence is more than I can bear, so...I'm trying to convince him."

The Queen nodded, "I see; so the rumors were true. Poor man. I hope you'll be able to convince him; my husband was not made to be King – your brother was. What is the plan?"

Wen Tian shook his head, "I can't tell you. I won't risk the plan being with anyone else besides me. Sorry, Your Majesty."

Just then, the door to their shared cell burst open and a hulking man stepped through, "So. You are the half blood brother of Wu Dao. I find myself disappointed. Your reputation said you were _so_ much harder to capture than this. But then, I suppose you were surprised. Your brother's name has always been enough to breed fear in the hearts of lesser men. I suppose you've never come across someone more powerful than him in his own _clan_. You see, I refuse to acknowledge such a creature as you to be part of this clan. Your filthy, tainted blood doesn't deserve the honor."

Wen Tian glared at the man before him, "Bai Jaw-Long," he sneered, "I don't need my brother to save me from you. You should be begging for mercy – once he figures out where I am, you'll wish you were never born. _If_ I leave anything for him, that is."

Bai Jaw-Long laughed, "You truly do not understand your position, do you? Your friend, Jui Gui, has no chance of victory. Even now, my men draw nearer to him than he dares believe. He will soon be dead, as will you and your brother. There will be no one remaining to stand in my way, and I will be free to reclaim the throne that your father stole from me." He grinned evilly at the look on Wen Tian's face, "You're so angry; it amuses me. I think I've come up with a fitting end for you. You'll fight until you die. If you survive until the end of each day, you'll earn a rest. But I doubt you'll manage it. Starting now," he roared with laughter as Wen Tian was dragged from the room.

Wu Dao watched for the next five days as his brother fought against impossible odds, winning more battles than he'd thought possible. But as the fifth day began to draw to an end, he saw the signs that his brother was beginning to weaken. A lump of ice formed in his heart as the sun finally began to set on the fifth day – knowing that it may well be his brother's final night. The men on either side of him glanced nervously at one another. "I'm sure he'll be fine, My Lord. He's done so well until now; he should manage to survive until the King arrives."

Wu Dao set his jaw and looked at the man with a gaze of steel for a long time, "Do you think so? You should remember – you and I are full-blooded Dragons. We are immortal and do not grow weary easily. _He_ is half human, and therefore has weaknesses that we do not." He glanced up at the sky nervously, "I don't think it occurred to him that tonight is the full moon." He shuddered, "If they find out...they won't be able to resist."

Wu Dao crawled backwards down the hill they had been watching from and began to pace at the foot of the hill. The men that had been assigned to him sat near to each other, not daring to risk a fire, eating their cold suppers for the fifth night in a row. Exchanging glances, one of them asked, "Why should the moon make any difference?"

Wu Dao rewarded the man with a look so cold that later the man would swear that a layer of ice had suddenly covered his armor. "The full moon is the weakest time for a half-demon. If they find out...he won't survive the night." The men shifted nervously, none daring to speak.

"Well, then I suppose we had better get him out before they find out, hadn't we?" Asked a familiar voice.

Wu Dao turned on the spot, crossing the clearing quickly and flinging his arms around his old friend, "Thank you. I was truly beginning to worry."

Jui Gui stared in shock at his former master, "O-Of course. Now; send him the signal and we'll get into place." Wu Dao nodded and smiled.

Wen Tian shuddered in the darkness, fearing the moment that a guard would enter the room and see his hornless human state. Jui Gui's wife sat near him, holding his hand as he trembled. "Don't worry," she said. "I'm sure that they'll be here soon." As though her words were a summons, a butterfly fluttered silently into the room and settled on Wen Tian's outstretched finger. "A butterfly? At night?" The Queen furrowed her brow in confusion.

Wen Tian grinned in triumph. "This isn't just any butterfly. It's the reincarnated spirit of my brother's lost love. Yue Die. This is the signal I was waiting for – come on. We need to get out of here." He glanced uncertainly at the woman, "I'll need you to do any fighting. I'm currently weaker than a normal human. This is the curse of the half-demon. Every full moon, we turn into this and become helpless. The only way I've survived as long as I have is by keeping this a secret."

"I don't think I've ever told you my name," the Queen said softly. "It's Jiang Sho-Feng."

Wen Tian smiled up at her, "Wen Tian. It's a pleasure to meet you, Sho-Feng. Now, let's get out of here." Taking her hands, he looked her in the eyes, "When I tell you, punch the guard right here," he pointed to his temple, "as hard as you can. I don't care how strong you are; if you get hit at just the right angle, you'll go down. You can do this, Your Majesty."

She just nodded and followed Wen Tian's lead, trembling in fear. He eased the door open – in their arrogance, they had not thought to lock it after Wen Tian's previous fight, given his state of exhaustion. Wen Tian nodded at Sho-Feng and she nodded back. Gathering her courage, she balled up her petite fist and aimed for the spot that Wen Tian had told her. She pulled back her fist and flung it forward as hard as she could. To her astonishment, the man's eyes rolled back in his head and his legs crumpled beneath him. She turned to Wen Tian with triumph and pride in her eyes, but sobered when she saw the look on his face. There was pride there, yes, but also caution. _We're not out of this yet_ , his eyes said.

Taking her by the hand, Wen Tian hurried through the building until he found an open window. He scrambled through first and then held his hand out for Sho-Feng, helping her through as quickly as he could. It took longer than he'd hoped, though. Pausing to listen once her feet were safely on the ground, he heard the sound he'd been dreading – shouts of alarm. They'd been discovered. Clasping her hand tightly, Wen Tian darted off, dragging her after him, "We need to hurry. They know we've escaped." They were nearly at a safe distance when an arrow caught Wen Tian in the shoulder, burying itself deep and sending him to the ground.

Sho-Feng cried out in despair as she fell to her knees, desperately trying to stem the bleeding from the wound and cutting her hand on the arrowhead that protruded from his shoulder. "It's alright," she said desperately with tears in her eyes, "You're going to be just fine."

The men that had surrounded them laughed, "No, he won't. He's going to die, and so are you. We're going to send your pretty head back in a box for this – but not until we've had our fun with you first." The man who'd spoken chuckled sickeningly, grabbing himself lewdly and advancing towards her with his sword drawn. "But first, I'm gonna make it so you can't move," he said in an oily voice.

Sho-Feng crawled backwards, terrified. The men behind her laughed cruelly and took hold of her, tearing at her clothes as the man advanced. Just as he slashed his sword, Wen Tian stood and thrust himself in front of her. "NO!" She cried as the sword came down across Wen Tian's chest and stomach, blood drenching the ground where he stood. She tried to break free, struggling desperately to get to her friend as he lay bleeding on the ground – but to no avail. She watched as his eyes went wide with shock and his mouth moved silently. _I'm sorry, Yao-Yao_ , she thought he said. All at once, she felt strength and power rise up inside her as a terrible scream wrenched its way free from her lungs, tearing her throat so that she tasted blood as power exploded from her in every direction, flattening every man who'd surrounded them. Most did not move again.

The man who was holding her clasped her arms even tighter, "You bitch," he said as he tore her clothes more, exposing her chest, "I'll make you pay for that."

From in front of her, Sho-Feng heard a roar of rage and pain seconds before a jagged sword burst through the man's chest and he fell over, gasping out his last breath. "Not as much as you will," Wu Dao growled. Glancing up, his face paled as he dropped his sword and rushing to his brother's side, " _LITTLE BROTHER_ ," he screamed, his voice cracking with rage and grief. "No. No, you can't do this to me. I won't let you. Don't leave me." The rescuers stopped in their tracks as the dignified former king bent over his brother's lifeless form, sobbing helplessly. "Please don't go. I'm lost without you, brother. Please."

Sho-Feng clasped her hands over her face as sobs began to shake her body. "He saved my life," she wept. "I would be dead if he hadn't taken the blow." She began to shiver with cold and shock when a heavy cloak was suddenly wrapped around her, as well as a warm embrace.

"I thought I'd lost you," Whispered Jui Gui as the sun began to rise on a new day. "I thought you were gone from me, and that I'd never see you again. Say the word, and I'll give up the throne for you, my love. You shouldn't have to experience this sort of thing." Sho-Feng froze for a moment before she completely shattered, flinging her arms around her beloved husband and sobbing brokenly into his chest.

"I'll do anything if you'll just come back," Wu Dao whispered. "I'll even take back the throne if that's what you want, as long as you're by my side I won't care. I swear it on the new day. Just please, please come back to me, Little Brother." Wu Dao's voice failed him as his entire body shook with sobs and a terrible wailing sound burst from his chest.

As the echoes of the mournful cry faded away, a soft, watery chuckle could be heard, "You'd better mean that, Big Brother," Wen Tian choked out through the blood in his throat. "I'll be keeping you to it."

Wu Dao froze, staring down in shock at his brother's face, "As long as you rule by my side, Brother."

Wen Tian's eyes widened in shock before he smiled, "Of course," he said weakly, "If that's what you want."

Wen Tian's recovery took nearly a month, and as soon as he could walk again, he and his brother were ushered into the throne room where Jui Gui sat, clasping his beloved wife's hand tightly. "I have come to a decision," he said clearly. "I will be stepping down and handing the crown to whom it belongs. Wu Dao – will you accept this duty and this burden?"

Wu Dao stood, "I will – on one condition: That my brother rules with me. As our father's son, he has the right."

Jui Gui nodded sagely, "I thought you might say that. In anticipation of the request, I had a second crown crafted years ago. Kneel, both of you." Jui Gui stood and waited while the brothers knelt. "Will you both serve this clan truly and faithfully until the day that both of you no longer draw breath?"

"We will."

"Will you both protect this clan from all enemy forces – from within or without – and keep its people safe for all the ages to come until your lives are utterly spent?"

"We will."

Jui Gui smiled, "Then I gladly pass the throne back where it belongs." He nodded and a man lifted the crown from his head and laid it on Wu Dao's, and another lifted a matching crown from a box and laid it on Wen Tian's head. "Then from this day forward, I call you both to serve this clan faithfully, honestly, and bravely as Kings until the day you both die."

Wu Dao and Wen Tian stood, turning for the gathered Dragons to see. Every knee – including Jui Gui's – bent in respect as the room erupted in cheers. Every man, woman, and child present knew at that moment that the revolt was over, as peacefully as could have been hoped.

***Author's Note***

Not going to lie, I got a bit teary-eyed at the end there. I hope you enjoyed it, and thanks as always for reading. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	13. Chapter 13

***Author's Note***

Good Day, my lovelies!  
I know what your going to say - it's been months! And you're right. My personal and work lives sort of went KA-BLOOEY at the same time, so things have been nuts. Finally, though, they seem to have mellowed enough for me to start writing again. So, here's a wee bit of a teaser chapter for you. Enjoy!

***End Note***

Wu Dao had not waited around after his meeting with the Dings for his men to ask him questions; instead, he ushered the Dings quickly out of the room and down the hallway. Before Yao Yao knew what was happening, they had been ushered back down to the lobby, where the stunning receptionist sat, watching them with smug amusement. "You seem...pleased," she observed.

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow at her but said nothing. Just outside the door, a limousine was waiting on the street, its driver standing patiently with his hand on the door and his steel gray suit perfectly pressed and fitted. The man bowed to Wu Dao and held out a hand to help Yao Yao into the back of the limo. Once the three of them were comfortably seated, the man closed the door gently behind them and slid into position behind the wheel. Wu Dao nearly smiled when he saw the stupefied look on Yao Yao's face. He waved his hand carelessly, "This is nothing," he said casually. "You should see the one I use for important business meetings or meetings with World Leaders. This limousine does not compare, I assure you."

Yao Yao's eyes nearly popped right out of her head. "You…You have more than one limo?" She barely managed to choke the words out.

Wu Dao raised a lofty eyebrow at her, "Of course. And why should I not? As long as I have been alive, I have amassed quite the fortune over the millennia." He glanced at Professor Ding, who appeared to have swallowed his tongue. "I'm afraid I may have given your father something of a shock. But then, I suppose it _is_ rather unusual for you humans to hear someone casually mention the millennia that they have lived, is it not?" He finished thoughtfully, as though it simply had not occurred to him before.

 _It probably hasn't,_ Yao Yao thought to herself. _Knowing him, he thinks_ _ **all**_ _of this is normal._ As Wu Dao drifted into his normal silence and stared out the window, watching the city speed by, Ding Yao took the time to study him. Though it had been thousands of years for him, he looked to have aged only a few years. To her eyes, he now resembled a man in his mid-to-late thirties, not a man who was well over four thousand years old. His face was still as mysterious and closed off as ever, but there was a lingering sadness in his eyes now. He still carried himself like a king and held his head proudly. In the years since she had returned, Yao Yao had nearly forgotten how handsome Wu Dao was, and how much he had loved Yu Die. She nibbled at her bottom lip, _Of_ _ **course**_ _. No wonder he's always sad these days,_ she thought. _He still misses her. I wonder if time passes the same way for demons as it does for humans?_

Though his gaze did not move from the window, his body stiffened. "You're staring," he complained.  
Yao Yao jumped, "Oh. Sorry. It's just…I guess it's just been so long that I was starting to be afraid that it was just a dream."

Wu Dao glanced at her strangely. "I think you may be the oddest mortal I have ever known. With everything you went through in our time, all the horrors you lived through, you were _afraid_ that it may have been a dream?" He shook his head slightly. "No, perhaps I will never understand mortals."

Yao Yao smiled gently, "Do you think Yu Die would have regretted anything?"

The moment the words were out of her mouth, Ding Yao regretted speaking them. Wu Dao's face contorted like a man being dipped in molten iron, and a shadow fell over his eyes, as though he were a man at death's door. His eyes grew wet, his gaze became distant and horribly sad. But the look vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "Perhaps you have a point, Ding Yao," he said so quietly that Yao Yao had to strain her ears to hear him. "I think she would have done everything again, no matter the outcome."

Yao Yao nodded. "I think so, too. I didn't mean to remind you of her. I'm sorry."

Wu Dao laughed softly and smiled, shocking Yao Yao so deeply that she nearly slid off her seat. "You never need to apologize for that, Ding Yao. She is ever-present in my mind, and there is no number of years that I can reach where that will not be the case. I suppose it is one of the curses of immortality."

Yao Yao glanced Wu Dao's shoulder at his chauffer. "He won't find this conversation a bit… _odd_ , will he?"

Wu Dao glanced lazily over his shoulder and half-smiled, "Oh, I shouldn't think so. He was my father's bodyguard before I became king. Now, with the times having changed so much, it would be rather odd for me to have a number of hulking bodyguards since I am 'only' a businessman. So, he requested that he become my chauffer instead. It was rather amusing to see him learn how to drive."

Yao Yao chuckled. "I didn't think it was that difficult to learn how to drive these days?"

Wu Dao grinned widely and chuckled warmly, "Oh, but it wasn't _these days_ , as you might know the phrase. He learned to drive when cars were referred to as horseless carriages. _Far_ more difficult."

Yao Yao laughed heartily, "Oh, now I can understand how it would be amusing! How Wen Tian must have laughed…" She fell suddenly silent at a warning look from Wu Dao. Just as he opened his mouth to say something to her, the limousine came gracefully to a halt.

The chauffer slid smoothly out of the driver's seat, walked calmly to the passenger door, and opened it wide, "You Majesty. We have arrived," he said respectfully as he bowed low.

Yao Yao raised an eyebrow at Wu Dao but slid easily out of the car after her father, who seemed to be silently grappling with a difficult concept. Yao Yao and her father waited patiently for Wu Dao to ease out of the car and followed his lead down a dark alleyway. Yao Yao hurried her steps so that she was closer to the Dragon King, which seemed to amuse him. "You will be safe here," he promised without glancing at her. "No one here would dare lay a finger on anyone who is with me."

Yao Yao was about to ask why that was when a door to their left sprung suddenly open and two attractive women stepped out and bowed, "We have your usual room ready, Your Majesty."

Wu Dao inclined his head graciously and stepped inside, Yao Yao and her father following closely behind him. She heard her father's quick inhalation of breath and quiet exclamation of "Amazing!" behind her as she took in their surroundings. The building was massive, and the ceilings were so high that Yao Yao would not have been able to see the top, had it not been for the enormous chandeliers that hung from the ceiling. Each chandelier was a four-tiered work of art made of wood and pure gold. At each point, a long wooden pole jutted out from an octagonal center structure made of wood. From each pole hung a massive red-and-gold paper lantern emblazoned with the Dragon Clan's emblem. All around them, giant black-and-red pillars stretched from the ground to the ceiling that were so large it would have taken three large men linking hands to form a circle around them. All around them were massive dining tables made of dark ochre and bamboo, while the dining chairs were made of bamboo and weaved fiber. The Dragon Clan emblem was emblazoned in the middle of each table and on the back of every chair. Beyond the main dining room, there was an enormous staircase of black and gold covered with a handsome carpet of red and subtle green accents. The bannisters were painstakingly polished from the very top to the dragon headed end. Given the sounds of laughter and clinking plates far above her, Yao Yao surmised that diners feasted far above their heads, as well. From somewhere deep inside the building, delicious smells wafted through the air tempting Yao Yao to enter and eat her fill.

As incredible as the building itself was, perhaps more impressive were the diners themselves. Sitting at each table were dozens of various breeds of demons, all dining and laughing together as equals. Many of the breeds before her, Yao Yao had personally fought in Wu Dao and his brother's time and moreover, they had long been at war with each other. Now, though, it seemed that the racial hatchet had been buried at last. Demons with horns, wings, and vicious-looking claws were the most obvious. Many, though, could easily have passed for human without the aid of any enchantments. Here and there, Yao Yao saw fairies, wolf demons, minor demons, dragons, and other celestial beings sitting peacefully together in their natural forms. As Yao Yao and Professor Ding gaped open-mouthed and wide-eyed at the spectacle before them, a lovely young woman in a traditional green-and-red, high-necked dress embroidered on the chest with the Dragon Clan emblem ( _Again_. She was starting to see a pattern here.) hurried gracefully forward and bowed deeply to Wu Dao, "Your Majesty," she spoke in a commanding voice that carried throughout the dining room and caused the diners to fall silent. As one, every demon, dragon, and celestial being – even a few humans, Yao Yao thought she saw – stood and bowed as Wu Dao came into the light. "Would Your Majesty like to be in a more comfortable form?" The girl asked politely with her eyes cast downward to the floor.

Wu Dao raised a finely-sculpted eyebrow, "More comfortable, I think. Thank you, Shu Chen." Without missing a beat, Wu Dao shrugged casually and the air around him shimmered with power. At the same time, Wu Dao's image wavered and blurred before melting to the floor in a golden waterfall of light, revealing a regal set of powerfully curved horns and a crown of bone that seemed nearly as heavy as the responsibility that it brought with it. His pristinely-tailored suit gave way to the traditional tunic, trousers, and boots that Yao Yao had always known him to wear, and a long, majestic fur-lined cloak that tumbled from his shoulders to the floor.

"Very good, Your Majesty," the girl said and bowed again before leading them across the dining room, where the diners bowed and muttered polite greetings to the Dragon King as he passed them. The girl led them up the staircase, turned a corner, and headed to an identical staircase on the opposite side of a second, equally grand dining room. Again, and again they repeated the process, for what seemed like miles until at last, there were no further staircases – only a set of sliding paper doors at the top of one final set of stairs. The girl opened the doors and bowed them inside. "I will send your usual meal, Your Majesty. Is there anything else I can do for you?"

Wu Dao smiled kindly at the girl, "Not tonight, Shu Chen, as with every other night. But I appreciate the offer all the same," he said gently.

The girl smiled slightly and bowed again, "Of course, Your Majesty. And as with every other night, I will continue to offer. I will leave you in peace, Your Majesty." Without another word, the girl bowed her way out of the room and slid the doors quietly shut behind her as Wu Dao's Chauffer (still in his suit, though now his horns showed proudly).

Wu Dao sighed heavily and slumped into a high-backed chair at the head of a long, handsome table that had been made of the same materials as the rest of the tables in the restaurant, but of a grander style. "Now," he said wearily, "We can talk without interruption."

***Author's Note***

I know, not that much plot in this chapter, but there will be in the next one. This one is sort of setting up the next chapter, so be patient! It shouldn't be long now before the next chapter is ready. Thanks ever so much for reading, as always!  
Lots of love,

Lady Darkwind/p


	14. Chapter 14

***Author's Note***

This one took a little longer than I expected, and it's still shorter than I'd like, but hey - what can ya do? Little more plot-y goodness in this one...and it sure is thickening, as they say! Oh, man. Me and my terrible jokes. Anyway, enjoy, my lovelies!

***End Note***

Yao Yao and her father sat at the table, one at each of Wu Dao's elbows. Yao Yao fidgeted where she sat, clearly uncomfortable. Professor Ding raised an eyebrow and cleared his throat awkwardly, "Ahem, so. Ah – Your Majesty…What is it that you did not want to discuss where we could be overheard?"

Wu Dao's cold brown eyes warmed slightly as they shifted to his left where the good Professor was sitting. "I see now why your daughter has always spoken so highly of you, Professor. You're quite brave, aren't you? And you're not one for…What is the phrase? Ah, yes. You're not one for beating around the bush." Wu Dao steepled his fingers and leaned onto the table. "There are a few things I wanted to discuss." Just then, the door opened again, and a slew of men and women paraded into the room, each carrying a massive tray of food or a pitcher full of drink. Wu Dao nodded graciously at them as they set down their burdens, bowed, and exited as quickly as they had entered, sliding the doors shut once more behind them. Wu Dao sighed and muttered something about timing. "What I was saying," he said, "Is that things are not quite the way you remember them, Yao Yao. Many things are different, but…Well, not all of them are good changes."

Yao Yao's eyes narrowed, "What exactly do you mean by that?"

Wu Dao lowered his head to his hands and rubbed viciously at his temples. "Many things, such as the relations between the various demon and celestial races, are greatly improved in the last few hundred years. I was aided greatly in this and other improvements by…by my brother. The worlds are at greater peace and work better together now than they ever have before. There are far less humans now that know we exist, but all World Leaders are let in on the secret. Many times, we demons and Dragons have stepped in to various wars that…Well, they were becoming a hazard to our kind, as well as yours. The most infamous of these is, of course, World War 2. And unlike what many people assume, we were _not_ on the side of this country, but we were on the side of the Allies. We are a large part of why they won. The Dragon Clan is far more prosperous now than we have ever been, also in part due to my brother's efforts. However, there is a sect that is growing ever more powerful that wishes to return to the old ways, and the old wars. They wish to return to human hunting and biting at each other's throats like wild animals. It is dangerous these days, I'm afraid." Wu Dao fell silent, subtly avoiding Yao Yao's eyes.

Ding Yao raised an eyebrow, "What? You thought I wouldn't notice?"

Wu Dao did his best to look innocent. "I can't imagine what you mean."

Yao Yao's hands clenched on the table, "You never once referred to him by name. Just called him 'my brother'. Where is Wen Tian, and why aren't you talking about him?"

Wu Dao flinched as though he had been slapped and a look of immense sadness and guilt came into his eyes, "Ah, yes. That. I had hoped that you would overlook it. I suppose I should have known better." Wu Dao met Yao Yao's eyes for the first time since they had sat down. He sighed heavily again, "It seems, Ding Yao, that I have failed my brother. I was so consumed with my own pain and grief at losing Yu Die that I did not notice his. Once I took back the throne, I made myself so busy with the dealings of the Clan that I failed to notice the change that was growing in my brother." Wu Dao shook his head sadly, regret clear in his eyes. "Sometimes I forget that my brother is half human, and therefore changes far more easily than I do. I fear that you would no longer know him, Yao Yao."

She paled, "What do you mean? Why would I not know him anymore?"

"I fear that the fun-loving young man you knew no longer exists. He is now full of anger and bitterness. He very rarely leaves the Celestial Realm, and when he does it is usually to help me with a business meeting or whatever new war the humans have started. He cares little for this world of yours anymore and can barely stand to be near me these days. It seems that I remind him too much of the time we were all together. Perhaps he blames me for not being more cognizant of his pain. I don't know. Hell, I blame _myself_ for that. But whatever the case, he is rarely seen in this world these days. His loyalties remain with me, but he is now as cold as I once was. However many times I ask him, he refuses to say what has changed him so much. The root of the matter is your choice to leave, I believe. He never did understand it." His eyebrows drew together slightly, "And neither do I, for that matter. I will _never_ comprehend, if I live to be one million years old, why you chose to come back here, rather than live out the rest of your days with the man that you loved."

Yao Yao looked guiltily down at the table and picked at her bowl of rice with her chopsticks. "I've wondered that many times in the last few years, myself. I thought at the time that it was the right thing to do, but lately I haven't been so sure. I thought that my father needed me, and that it would be better to leave the pair of you alone. I thought you would resent him more if I stayed. I…I don't know. I made a mistake, truth be told."

Wu Dao narrowed his eyes at her, "He loved you more than anything." His voice was calm and cold, but his eyes were alive with fury. "He still does. I have told him that your era has finally arrived, but he still refuses to return to this world. I have tried many times to contrive some way to get him to return and find you, but they have all failed. His current excuse is that I need him in our lands to keep them safe from our enemies and the rebels that wish to return to the old ways. He and I both know that this is a lie, but there is little that I can do to convince him. I had hoped that you may be able to think of a way. You always understood him on a level that I do not – that I _cannot_."

Yao Yao chewed thoughtfully on her bottom lip and was silent for a long moment before she smiled. "Your father's tomb. It's where my father and I want to dig, isn't it?"

Wu Dao tilted his head, confused. "Yes, of course it is – and you well know it."

Yao Yao's smile grew wider, "It's simple. You tell him that you want to visit the grave, and you want him to come with you. Don't give him a choice. Tell him you fear attack from the rebels, and you want your most trusted and faithful bodyguard by your side when you go."

Wu Dao smiled like a wolf stalking its prey. "Oh, I like the way your mind works, Ding Yao." He was silent for a long minute as he sampled the meal in front of him. "Yes, I can see this plan of yours working. Keep me closely informed regarding the progress of the excavation. I will provide you with my personal cell phone number. When the tomb has been sufficiently cleared, I will _drag_ him there, if I must."

Professor Ding smiled along with them. "I can easily arrange for this to happen. You should do regular site visits to see the progress for yourself so that the crew won't find it unusual when you and your brother arrive."

Wu Dao glanced in surprise at the aging Professor. "I am beginning to see where Ding Yao gets her mischievous mind," he said with humor in his voice. For the remainder of their meal, the three of them ate companionably, trading stories back and forth.

***Author's Note***

I certainly hope you enjoyed this chapter, my dears! Well, as always thanks ever so much for reading, and lots of love!/

\- Lady Darkwind


	15. Chapter 15

***Author's Note***

Good Afternoon, my dears! So, things have finally calmed down enough that I should have some regular time to write - hopefully daily. But I've tried to make this chapter fairly plot-y, so we shall see. Hope you enjoy!

***End Note***

Wu Dao returned home with his mind more alive than it had been in centuries. He had nearly forgotten what it felt like to be alive – not just to have a heart that beat in his chest, but to feel truly _alive_. He couldn't remember the exact moment he'd turned into a statue, but he certainly felt as though he had and was now returning to his normal state of being. Wu Dao nearly chuckled at his own thoughts. _I'm being unusually metaphorical tonight,_ he thought to himself. He sat silently thinking about the plan that he and the Daos had laid out to return his brother to the human world – the world that was, in fact, half of his heritage. As the limo rounded the corner on which the Dragon Holdings Headquarters, Wu Dao's cell phone began to ring.

"Yes?" He answered curtly, "When?" he asked, and listened intently to the response. "Damn," he said quietly. "Alright. I'll come over immediately." Wu Dao bit back a sigh and knocked on the partition window, which was promptly rolled down. "I'm afraid I need to head home, rather than to the office."

The driver raised an inquisitive eyebrow and watched his King closely in the rear view mirror. He watched Wu Dao's brow furrow and his head incline slightly, "Of course, Your Majesty. Right away." The limo swung wide and turned immediately around, angling for the other end of the city. After squeezing through the downtown Shanghai traffic, the limo finally turned onto a massive, winding lane, lined with peach trees and imposing dragon statues, that served as the driveway for Wu Dao's enormous mansion. It was an intimidating structure made of white marble so highly polished that one could see their reflection in the stone. The enormous pillars at the entrance were accented with elegant black marble dragon carvings, their mouths open in what nearly seemed to be a grin from one angle, and an angry roar from another. The limo came to a stop at the foot of a large, elegant staircase leading to the massive, ebony double front doors which was trimmed in simple but beautiful silver. Lining the staircase to either side was the entire household, waiting for their master's return.

As Wu Dao stepped from the limo, the servants stood a little straighter and bowed in unison. Wu Dao inclined his head graciously and made his way quickly up the stairs. The moment he'd entered the opulent entry hall, his form shimmered and shifted from the "normal" human glimmer he had restored the moment they had departed the restaurant to his natural self. His cloak swept regally behind him as he strode quickly forward into the main hall and up a grand, sweeping staircase – this one of more white marble, but lined in gold with a stunning railing of bright bamboo that shone with a golden light against the stark white of the marble. Wu Dao hurried up the staircase and turned sharply to his left, striding down the hall off the main staircase to a lonely door that stood closed against any intruders, with a hulking guard at either side in suits of the deepest black, their dark Dragon horns glinting in the brightly-lit hall and their suits standing out oddly against the white-and-gold surroundings. Both men bowed deeply as Wu Dao approached, opening the door without a second glance.

Wu Dao paused for a moment outside the door, then squared his shoulders and marched resolutely through. As soon as he was through the door, the hall behind him shimmered and faded, shifting suddenly to the Dragon Clan's throne room. Not much had changed in the last three thousand years; the one noticeable change was the second identical throne that had been erected next to Wu Dao's. On this throne sat Wen Tian, his face slightly more lined now and an uncharacteristic scowl on his face that had become far too familiar to Wu Dao. On his head was a crown that was also identical to the one Wu Dao wore. The moment Wu Dao appeared in the throne room, Wen Tian's scowl deepened, and he cleared his throat, "So. Do you idiots want to tell him, or should I?"

The men grouped closely around the strategy table went suddenly silent and still. Then, one by one, they turned to stare in terror at the Dragon King. Wu Dao's back straightened and his eyebrow arched, "Tell me what?" Not a sound could be heard in the throne room; Wu Dao's other eyebrow arched up to match the first, "Tell me _what_?" He said more severely. "Wen Tian, what are you talking about?"

A nasty smile crept across Wen Tian's face, "Oh, nothing much. These idiots just lost and entire division of your armies."

Wu Dao's scowl now matched his brother's, " _What_?" He growled, "What do you mean they lost an entire division?"

Wen Tian's smile grew wider and nastier, "Oh, it's quite simple. I gave them express orders not to deploy the army to go after the rebels, as it was _clearly_ a trap; they disobeyed me. I was just considering what the Generals' punishment should be. Personally, I was thinking to burn them with red-hot metal while they're whipped, but…I thought you'd want to discuss it."

Wu Dao frowned at his brother, "Enough, Wen Tian. They disobeyed a direct order from you?" He turned to the Generals grouped around the strategy table, "Is this true?" There were a few nervous affirmatives, but most of the men only hung their heads in embarrassment, too ashamed to speak. Wu Dao shook his head, "This is most disturbing. I would have thought that three thousand years was a sufficient span of time for you doddering old fools to overcome your prejudices. I am most ashamed that you represent the best of the Dragon Clan's strategic minds. Who gave the final order?" Three of the Generals raised a trembling hand. "Then you are hereby stripped of your rank and privileges; you will now serve as…Sergeants, I think. If you show your worth, there is every chance that you can regain your former posts. I hope that it will be a lesson to you. Now, get out of my sight before I change my mind and go with my brother's suggestion."

Wen Tian watched sulkily as the men hurried out of the Throne Room, thanking their lucky stars that Wu Dao had shown mercy. "Why did you do that? That was an offence punishable by death."

Wu Dao sighed heavily, "Because you are not yourself, brother. For the last thousand years, you have been cold and angry. You grow more so every day. You wanted those men to suffer because you are suffering, not because of what they did."

Wen Tian scowled at his brother, "Not this again. Look. I don't want to talk about… _her_."

Wu Dao hid a smile, "I'm sure you don't. But don't let her change you like this."

"I said I don't want to talk," he snapped.

Wu Dao took a deep breath, "Fine. Why don't we discuss this strategic nightmare, then? What do you suggest?"

Wen Tian rolled his eyes but sat forward, his expression smoothing from anger into concentration, "Maybe we should try a trap of our own?"

Wu Dao had to fight to keep from smirking, _There's a lot of that going around,_ he thought to himself. Screwing up his face into what he hoped was a look of serious contemplation, he replied, "Perhaps. Yes, I think this may work to our advantage. Do we know yet the identity of their leader? Is it confirmed?"

Wen Tian leveled a look at his brother that dripped with disbelieving sarcasm, "I should have thought there would be no question in your mind," he said dryly. He sighed deeply, "Yes. Our spies have confirmed that it is Bai Jaw-Long again. Not that we should be terribly surprised by this. The tactics are almost identical, the trap is much the same as the ones back three thousand years ago, and so on. If we had wives, I'm sure they would go suddenly missing," he added bitterly.

Wu Dao sighed, "It _is_ her time now, you know. You could probably find her if you tried."

Wen Tian stood suddenly and glared at his brother, "Just shut up! You've been trying for years now to get me to go look for her. I won't! She's probably married and forgotten all about us, and that's fine. I don't give a damn! Just leave me the hell alone!" Without another word, Wen Tian turn on his heal and stormed out of the throne room.

A sudden awkward silence fell after Wen Tian's sudden departure. "Well?" Wu Dao said quietly into the silence, "Shouldn't you be discussing strategy?"

Yao Yao breathed deeply as she slid out of the SUV behind her father. It had been three thousand years, and the landscape had changed dramatically, but there was no doubt in her mind. "This is it," she said quietly. "This is the Dragon Tomb. I remember exactly where everything was. We can start to have this uncovered in a few months, I'm certain of it. I'm almost afraid to know what we'll find in there."

Professor Ding smiled at his beloved daughter, "Well, at least you know it won't be Wen Tian's grave in there. His brother told us he's still alive, so you can take that off your list of fears."

Yao Yao smiled warmly at her father, "That is true, Daddy. Thanks. Well, let's get started, shall we? I'll need paper and pencil so I can sketch the area and where we'll need to dig. We'll need to be very careful with that wall over there; that's where the entrance is, as well as a number of rather spectacular statues. We don't want to damage them. Where we're standing was the entryway; there were at least a dozen grand columns – there was a road once, too. This is going to be the greatest find of our careers, Daddy. I can't wait to get started!"

Professor Ding smiled, then chewed his lip thoughtfully, "You know, that Wu Dao looks so young. It's very disconcerting – not to mention intimidating – when you look in his eyes and see _millennia_ , not just the thirty or so years his appearance suggests."

Yao Yao smiled, "I know, but you'll get used to him, Daddy. He's really not as cold and unfeeling as he seems. He just hides his feelings, is all. He's actually very kind, deep inside."

Her father smiled again, "I certainly hope so," he said. "To have gained your loyalty, I suppose it must be true. But I am most interested to meet this Wen Tian I've heard so much about. I hope he lives up to the picture you've painted for me."

Yao Yao's smile faded, "I hope so, too. But given what Wu Dao said, I'm not so sure anymore. I think maybe he's changed in a way I never could have expected. I think my leaving damaged him in ways I'd never intended. At least he has his brother, though. That's one good thing that came of my time with them, anyway. They stopped fighting."

"Did they really used to try to kill each other?"

"Oh, yes. It was terrifying. It would have been even scarier if Wu Dao had _really_ been trying. They don't hate each other anymore, at least – and I suppose that's something." As she and her father talked, Yao Yao sketched out the area as it was now, with an image of how the area had looked three thousand years ago on top of the current landscape. "So. If I'm right, this should be pretty close to where everything is located; obviously, we'll have to count on a margin of error for the shifting of tectonic plates and the erosion of time on the land, but it should be fairly accurate, anyway."

The Professor grinned hugely at his daughter, "Well, it's more than we had before, sweetheart. I'll make sure that this gets circulated."

Yao Yao smiled as her father walked away with her drawing in hand. _Not long now_ , she thought. _Not long now until I see you again._

***Author's Note***

Phew. Well, that was exciting! Wen Tian has changed so much! Poor baby! No worries, I have a plan! As always, my darlings, thank you so much for reading! Lots of love!  
\- Lady Darkwind


	16. Chapter 16

***Author's Notes***

Good Day, my lovelies! Ah! I can't tell you how very good it is to be back to writing on a regular basis. I have missed it so very much! Enjoy, my dears./p

***End Note***

Yao Yao stretched and groaned as her muscles creaked and popped. She yanked a handkerchief out of her back pocket and wiped at the back of her neck where sweat dripped into the collar of her shirt. Bending low, she watched closely as one of her father's most trusted assistants dug carefully in the dirt she knelt on. Hardly daring to breathe, Yao Yao felt her heart leap into her throat when there came the distinctive sound of a shovel hitting some kind of hard rock. Shoving the handkerchief roughly back into her pocket, Yao Yao flung herself to the ground and snatched up a spare brush, sweeping away the dirt on and around the spot. There, just under the earth, was the distinctive corner of a unique yellow brick. The brush slipped out of her numb fingers, "This is it. I can't believe it; this is _it_!" She whispered excitedly.

One of the younger assistants – a young college graduate – shot to his feet and sprinted away, shouting for the Professor as he went. By the time the Professor had made his way to the spot, Yao Yao and the others had managed to clear the entire top of the brick – it was at least three feet by three feet. Professor Ding beamed proudly down at his daughter, "You've done it, Yao Yao. Finally, after so long looking, you've done it!"

Yao Yao smiled mildly back at her father, "Yes, but this is only the first discovery, Daddy. There's a lot left to discover here. Trust me, Daddy. There is so much more here to find! Just you wait until you see the inside. It's beautiful." Before Yao Yao could say another word, there was the sudden, distant sound of an approaching helicopter. She glanced up at her father with a raised brow, "Well. That didn't take him as long as I expected. I suppose he's impatient." Standing, she brushed the dirt off her jeans and removed the handkerchief again to mop her face some more. "Well, we'd better go be good hosts." Professor Ding took his daughter's arm, and the two of them made their way up the hill to where the helicopter was heading. They didn't have long to wait; within a few minutes, the other archaeologists were scrambling to cover what little progress had been made since they had begun and keep it from being covered up again or damaged.

The pair of them waited patiently while half a dozen hulking bodyguards made their way out of the helicopter, scanning the area as they did. "Oooh," said her father's assistant, "Is _that_ one him?" She pointed, indicating the final of the guards – a hulking, powerfully built man with the narrow, staring eyes of a warrior.

Yao Yao chuckled, "No," she said gently as the man in question gestured behind him to the helicopter. " _That_ is him," she said as Wu Dao climbed gracefully out of the helicopter and bent low to avoid the helicopter blades.

"Wow," said the assistant, her mouth hanging open. "I see it now. He's actually quite regal, isn't he?"

Yao Yao chuckled. "Yes, I suppose he is."

Wu Dao caught Yao Yao's eye and made his way gracefully toward her, "Yao Yao. Professor Ding. Thank you for meeting me; I know I did not notify you of my visit, but…"  
Professor Ding chuckled, "Don't worry about it. We're used to patrons showing up without notice to check on the progress of our digs. I'm afraid there hasn't been time to make very much progress as yet, but…We have made a little."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow, "Oh, indeed? I was not expecting such news so quickly. I was simply interested to see the process from its earliest stages. Please, do lead on." The bodyguards made to form a protective ring around him. "Oh, relax. I am hardly going to be assassinated _here_ , of all places. It is not exactly easy terrain, is it? And besides; the Dings will hardly have hired anyone they did not trust. _Especially_ not for this particular dig." He sighed heavily. "Please, don't let them bother you," he said to Yao Yao.

She smiled, "Oh, don't worry. I won't. They're very scary-looking, but I feel safe with you. I know you'll keep them in line. So. Do you know anything about the process?" Wu Dao shook his head, his warm brown eyes alive with interest as he watched her closely. "I didn't think so. Well, normally we would just pick a spot and create a grid from there, but since I've actually _been_ here before, I know approximately where everything should be. However, given that everything will no doubt have shifted in the last three thousand years, we're using a bit of an altered version of the usual method. I drew up the landscape as it is now, and over that I drew where everything _used_ to be. Based on that, we've made up a grid around the high-interest areas, as well as the area where the road ought to be, and we go from there. We assign a team to each grid every day, and we dig there for a while until we either find something, or we confirm the grid is empty, and move on." Yao Yao took a folded piece of paper out of her pocket, "As you can see, this is the grid I set up, and if you look, you can see it stretching out before us." She pointed, showing Wu Dao the six-foot by six-foot squares she and the others had roped off carefully over the landscape, in odd little clusters rather than a constant patchwork grid like most other archaeological digs. "It gives us a distinct advantage, me knowing what this place is supposed to look like."

Wu Dao smiled slightly, "Interesting. I did not know the method was quite so orderly and scientific. I suppose I always imagined odd people with shovels and cameras getting lucky on occasion."

Yao Yao smiled, "No, we're a pretty organized bunch. The vast majority of my colleagues think I'm the most fortunate person they know. Very few know the truth about my past. I think that's why I feel so much more myself when I'm out on a dig; the people I'm out here with know who I really am. I don't have to hide anything or pretend I'm something I'm not. It's very comforting. But then, I suppose you can understand that better than most, huh?"

The corner of Wu Dao's mouth twitched, ever so slightly. "Indeed," he said. "Although, I'd forgotten just how much you talk."

Yao Yao glanced at him in surprise, "And I keep forgetting you have a sense of humor. You're usually so…serious."

"I don't have the luxury of showing it very often. I, like you, frequently must put on a persona in public. It is refreshing to be around someone I consider a friend, and nothing more. Not a subordinate, not a guard, not family; just a friend. I'd forgotten what that was like."

Yao Yao grinned, "Awww, you think of me as a friend!?" She giggled, "Yeah, I know what you mean. It's hard to be yourself, even around family sometimes. But I'm glad you see me as a friend. I always thought you saw me as an annoyance."

"Well, yes. That is true." Wu Dao glanced at her from the corner of his eye and smirked, his eyes glinting with humor.

Yao Yao laughed loudly, "Well, at least you're more loosened up than you were in the old days," she said. "Here we are." She stopped abruptly at the site where they had begun to uncover one of the pillars that had once lined the road to the tomb. "I know it's not much to look at, really but…this is all the progress we've made in the last couple of weeks." Wu Dao knelt to run his fingers delicately over the newly-exposed stone. "Even with the advantage I have of knowing approximately where everything should be, it still takes a lot of time to dig everything up without damaging anything. If I didn't care about the state of anything we might find, we would be in here with bulldozers. Unfortunately, our tools take a great deal longer than, say, excavating a site for a build or something like that."

Wu Dao nodded, "This is true. And yet, I am most impressed that you have made even _this_ must progress in only a week. I look forward to the coming months. Have you time to spare for tea?"

Yao Yao glanced at her father and smiled, "Of course I do. Will your men be joining us?"  
"No. They will wait outside the tent. I would like to speak with you privately."  
She smiled, "Yes, I thought you might." Yao Yao led the way through the maze of grids and tents until they came to a large white tent in the middle of the camp. "Here we are. I have an electric kettle in here somewhere; it only takes a couple of minutes to get hot." She glanced around for a moment until she spotted the spout peeking out from under a stack of papers. She smiled bashfully and hurried over to rescue the poor thing. Clearing a space, she set the kettle to boil, then shifted papers about until she came across a couple of tea cups and a box of tea bags. Wu Dao stood in silence, watching with great amusement as she bustled about; he didn't move more than his head until she offered him a cup of steaming tea, which he accepted gratefully. "It makes it a little easier," she said, "when there's a cup of hot tea waiting for you at the end of a long day's work."

Wu Dao smiled fondly at her, "Indeed. It would truly be a sacrifice if, with all of the wonderful things you humans have managed to come up with, there was no tea in a place like this." He took a sip and sighed, "It's rather decent, too. It would be better with loose-leaf tea, but I suppose that would be too much of a hassle in such conditions."

Yao Yao nodded and sipped her tea in silence for a moment before leveling a serious look at him, "So. What did you come all the way out here to talk to me about in person?"

Wu Dao paused, his tea cup halfway to his mouth. "Well. Quite perceptive for a human, aren't you?" He took another sip of tea before answering, "It's my brother. I fear that he is getting worse, not better. He still staunchly refuses to have anything at all to do with the human world. I'm afraid this increasing rebellion isn't helping matters. The only thing it _is_ doing is causing us all an inordinate amount of stress and bringing up a number of old prejudices that I had thought – wrongly, apparently – had died out millennia ago. It is quite frustrating."

Yao Yao frowned into her tea, "I know. I forget how much our species are alike, sometimes. There are still people in the human world that behave that way. You'd think, after everything this world has put itself through with wars and murder, and goodness only knows what else – simply because of someone looking different than you do…You'd think we'd have learned by now, wouldn't you? I suppose demons, dragons, and fairies aren't all that different from humans after all, are they?"

Wu Dao smiled again, "I suppose not. But I am worried about him. He is not the man he once was; he grows more bitter and angry every day."

Yao Yao turned away from him and sniffled, "I'm sorry. This is all my fault. If I'd just _stayed_ , Wen Tian wouldn't be in this state."

Wu Dao sighed, "We can't know that. He still would have lost you one way or the other. And he will lose you again, whether this scheme of ours is successful or not. I am not certain how he will react, truthfully. And the thought worries me."

Yao Yao stayed silent until they had finished their tea and walked Wu Dao back to his helicopter. As the helicopter's rotors began to spin, she couldn't help but wonder if he wasn't right; and if he was, then why was she even bothering?

***Author's Note***

Phew. I know, lots of dialogue. But in this chapter, I really wanted to show more of the developing relationship between Wu Dao and Yao Yao (oh, look that rhymes; how did I never notice that before?). I also wanted to show a bit of Yao Yao's doubt, and Wu Dao's concern for his brother, and curiosity about humans. Hope you enjoyed it! As always, thank you for reading. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	17. Chapter 17

***Author's Note***

Good day, darlings! I'm really trying to finish up on this one so I can go back to some other rather pressing projects I have that will sadly take me away from my lovely readers for awhile. But still, they must get done. I do have another fanfic that I've been mulling around in my head for a few years now, but I'll take care of that one when I'm done with my more pressing projects. Anyway, I hope you enjoy this chapter!

***End note***

Bai Jaw Long leaned heavily on his right hand which rested on a pillar, while his left massaged the bridge of his nose; he simply could not believe what he was hearing. "What do you mean, you don't know where he went? One of the Kings of the Dragon Clan _vanishes_ without a trace for an entire day, and _nobody_ knows where he went!?"

The man who'd just finished speaking swallowed nervously, "Well, not _nobody_ , sir. Jiu Gui knows where he went."

Bai Jaw Long froze, turning his head very slowly to look over his shoulder at the man, his eyes sparking dangerously. "Jiu Gui. _Jiu Gui_? How is that of any help to us at all!? The only person less inclined than Jiu Gui to betray Wu Dao is Wen Tian! No, we need to find out where he's been. Who went with him?"

The man wrinkled his brow and chewed his lower lip in thought, "Just his usual contingent of trusted guards," the man said.

Jaw Long snarled and pushed away from the pillar, "That's no good. We need someone _close_ to the Kings. Someone who can track there every move; someone they'll trust without a second…" Jaw Long trailed off into silence as a nasty grin began to spread across his face, "Oh. Oh, how blind I've been. Of course. Of _course_! I've been approaching the problem all wrong; we don't need to create some reason for one of our men to be near the Kings. What we _need_ is to create a reason why the Kings don't want one of our men to be _away_ from them!" Jaw Long began to laugh evilly, "We have planning to do."

Wen Tian stood on his balcony, staring out over the lands he had grown to love so much in the last three thousand years. Under the reign of the Dragon Brothers, as they had become known, the Dragon Clan had experience peace and prosperity of a greater degree than had ever been recorded before in history. Wen Tian supposed he was glad that he'd been given such an opportunity, but…It just seemed to him that over the last thousand years or so, the position had grown… _hollow_ , somehow. He sighed heavily. _Without someone to share all of this with, it really doesn't matter anymore. I mean, of course there's Wu Dao, but it's just not the same thing. Be honest with yourself; you're angry. You're angry that she left you alone._ Wen Tian sighed again. _Truth is, you'd have lost her eventually, anyway and you'd lose her again eventually if you found her now. That's the real reason you refuse to go back to the human world._

The sound of a clearing throat behind him broke into his ruminating, "You look like a man with the world on his shoulders," said his brother, coming up beside him and leaning his elbows on the railing, mirroring Wen Tian's posture. "Coincidently, you also look like a man who could use a drink," he added with a smirk as he held up a bottle of fine Irish whiskey. "I know it's foreign, but I've developed a bit of a taste for it in the last few hundred years."

Wen Tian smiled slightly as his brother handed him the bottle. "True enough." He paused as he took a sip and passed the bottle back to Wu Dao. "But then, I've never had any alcohol that gets me quite as drunk as this."

"Ah," said Wu Dao with a wicked twinkle in his eye, "You've discovered the truth behind my fondness for it."

Wen Tian uttered a surprised laugh and aimed a blow at his brother, "Some brother you are! Trying to get me drunk…"

Wu Dao smiled, "As I said; it seemed like you could use it."

Wen Tian felt the smile slide off his face, "Was I really that obvious?"

Wu Dao chuckled, "You could not have been more obvious if you'd painted it in neon on your forehead while dancing naked in Time Square."

Wen Tian laughed again, casting a surprised look at his brother, "Since when do you have a sense of humor?"

Wu Dao's face fell into a serious mask. "I don't," he said with another twinkle in his eye. "But seriously; would it really be so bad if you found her again?"

Wen Tian sighed and took another long drink, "I'm scared, okay?" He looked pointedly away from his older brother. "I'm afraid that if I _do_ find her, she'll have forgotten me. Or worse, she _won't_ have forgotten me, I'll marry her, and then I'll eventually lose her anyway. Granted, it will be after about sixty years, but for us sixty years isn't that long."

Wu Dao watched his brother closely and quietly as he took a long, thoughtful drink from the bottle of whiskey. Finally, he sighed and put the bottle down on the balcony railing and took his brother by the shoulders, turning Wen Tian towards him. "Look, brother. Take it from someone who _has_ lost love – don't lose her because you're afraid of her eventual death. If you lose her due to cowardice, you will never forgive yourself. You will be more miserable than you are now if you do that; if you don't take this one chance you have to find her and she marries someone else…Your anger and bitterness will only increase. I know that it is a cliché, but it is far better to have loved someone and lost them than to have never had them in the first place. Not many people get a second chance at the love they lost. Most of us never will."

Wen Tian winced slightly, "You're right. It's just…What if I can't find her? What if she hates me? What if I can't forgive her?"

Wu Dao chuckled, "If you 'if' yourself into a coma, you'll never forgive yourself, either. Just take a leap of faith. In the meantime, I want you to come with me to see a dig site; I've finally found someone worth the risk to have them dig out our father's tomb. As soon as there is something to see, I want to show it to you." He held up a hand as his brother began to argue, "I'm not requesting; I'm telling. You will come see it, and that is all there is to it. It does not do to forget who we come from, or to live in the past and forget to have a life in the present."

Just then there came a gentle knock, and Jiu Gui poked his head out onto the balcony where Wu Dao and Wen Tian were talking, "Beg your pardon, Majesties but…"

Wen Tian smiled, "You don't have to stand on ceremony with us, Jiu Gui. What is it?"

Jiu Gui returned the smile but bowed anyway before walking out to stand beside Wu Dao. Glancing inquiringly at the bottle of whiskey, Jiu Gui took a quick swig when the brothers nodded their assent that he should join them. "I couldn't help but overhear, Your Majesties, and I can't help but to agree with my Master. Wen Tian; My Lord, do not allow Yao Yao to slip through your hands. I remember how she made you smile – granted you also made each other crazy, but that is all part of love. If I had given up as easily as you are, I would not have all that I do today. Love is always a risk, Your Majesty. However, it is _always_ worth it."

Wen Tian took the bottle and sipped, smiling. "I know, you're both right. It's just going to take a little while; tell you what. I'll start looking when Wu Dao and I go look at the dig." Wu Dao and Jiu Gui exchanged glances, then shrugged. "Well, now that that's settled, Jiu Gui – how are your wife and daughter?"

Jiu Gui smiled, "They are doing quite well, My Lord."

"How old is your daughter now?" Asked Wu Dao.

"She is about to have her seventeen hundredth birthday, My Lord. She will be of age in a couple of months. She is very excited."

Wen Tian smiled, "I'm sure she is. Will we _actually_ be allowed to see her face at that time? It's a shame she keeps it hidden; she was a lovely young girl."

Jiu Gui smiled, "It is of her own desire, My Lords. I'm afraid she is very shy and would prefer to remain unseen until her Coming of Age party."

Wu Dao shook his head, "It is very odd, and entirely irregular but I will allow it – for the girl's sake."

Jiu Gui smiled again, "Thank you, My Lord. She will be most pleased to hear it. Although, she has worn the veil for so long that I fear she may be insecure without it."

"I'm sure she'll be fine," Wen Tian reassured him. "If she's anything like her father, I'm sure she will be very resilient." Jiu Gui said nothing but smiled, looking thoroughly unconvinced. The three of them stood for a moment longer, gazing out over the lands of the Dragon Clan, then turned back inside and found some armchairs by the fireplace, where they made themselves comfortable, passing drinks and stories back and forth for the next few hours.

***Author's Note***

I hope you enjoyed, my dears! I'm really enjoying this one, and I'm starting to see the end forming now; it will be another 10-15 chapters, and this one will be finished! Yaaaaaayyy! Hahaha, anyway. Thank you, as always, for reading. Lots of love!  
\- Lady Darkwind


	18. Chapter 18

***Author's Note***

Good afternoon, my lovelies! I hope you enjoy this chapter - the plot, as they say, thickens!

***End Note***

The next morning, Wu Dao, Wen Tian, and Jiu Gui stood around the crowded strategy table, bent low and immersed in planning. Suddenly from behind them, there came the sound of a scuffle, "Die, traitor!" someone cried. Wu Dao turned just in time to shift enough so that the dagger went into his left shoulder, rather than his heart. From beside him, he sensed someone rush in front of him, followed by the sound of a grunt as blood began to rush down his arm, and his head spun from the pain – it seemed the knife had been thrust so hard that it had struck the bone. His knees went out, and he smelled fresh blood from someone else as a pair of legs in front of him wrestled with another pair of legs. Someone knelt beside him and pulled him out of the way, pulling him close and drawing a knife of their own, which was held out defensively in front of him. Another person knelt quickly in front of him, as his vision swam from the pain and his stomach churned from the scent of his own blood mixed with another's. Finally, there came a dull _thud_ along with another grunt, and the wrestling legs went still. One of the two fell to the ground, and the atmosphere in the throne room relaxed perceptibly.

Suddenly, every head turned towards him and a jabber of noise filled the room, each voice asking if he was alright. "ENOUGH," came Wen Tian's voice from beside his left ear. "My brother is clearly dazed. Give him some room and get that corpse out of here! See to that brave young man; see to it that his injuries are seen to."

The man kneeling in front of Wu Dao turned, "Let me see it, Your Majesty," said Jiu Gui. He ripped open Wu Dao's tunic and frowned as he examined the wound, "It isn't fatal, Your Highness, but this is very deep. I'm afraid it will take some to heal."

Wen Tian's hands tightened on his brother's arms as Wu Dao shifted slightly against his brother's chest and gasped in pain, "How long will it take, do you think?"

"A few weeks, perhaps? It seems there's a kind of poison in the wound – see the white oozing from the wound? It doesn't appear to be a fatal poison – if it were, there would be discoloration of the veins around the wound. We were very lucky this time. I'd say that Bai Jaw Long was sending us a message – he can get to us anywhere, at any time. He's saying that if he'd wanted to kill one of the Kings, he could have. It's a fear tactic, Your Majesties. Very, very clever of him – but we are cleverer by far. This must not leave this room; if anyone asks about His Majesty's injury, it was a training injury."

Jiu Gui went silent as he cleaned and bound the wound. Wu Dao allowed his head to fall on Wen Tian's shoulder as his old friend worked. "That was close," he said with a wince as Jiu Gui swabbed the wound with something that burned like fire. "I'm glad you're here with me, brother."

Wen Tian smiled, "So am I. You really scared me for a moment."

"I never question my safety when you and Jiu Gui are with me, brother." His right hand trembled as a wave of nausea swept through him. "I think I may be ill," he groaned.

Wen Tian shifted his brother just in time as he vomited messily to the side. He rubbed Wu Dao's back with his left hand as he supported him with his right, "It's alright; I think the blade struck the bone, that's all." He said to the crowd around them. "He's going to be fine. Jiu Gui; could this be a side effect of the poison?"

Jiu Gui nodded, "Possibly, yes. Between the nausea the pain is causing and the poison, his body is probably trying to right itself. At worst, I'd say the poison will make the wound take longer to heal. He's fine – perhaps a bit embarrassed, but I think he'll survive that." Wen Tian nodded and watched the color drained from his brother's face again as Jiu Gui pressed on Wu Dao's wounded shoulder to stem the flow of blood, so he could bind it. Wu Dao's right hand twitched as Jiu Gui fashioned a sling for his injured arm and lifted it so that it was bound to his chest. "There," Jiu Gui said. "All finished. I suggest we get His Majesty to bed."

Wen Tian nodded and shifted to his knees, causing Wu Dao to groan in pain. With Jiu Gui's help, the two of them managed to get the King to his feet and out through the side door towards his quarters. Wen Tian took a firmer hold so that Jiu Gui could let go and get the doors to the King's quarters open. He then returned to help guide Wu Dao to his bed. "Thank you, Jiu Gui. I'll stay with him."

Jiu Gui stood and bowed deeply, "Of course, my King. I'll be nearby if you need me. Just call; I'll hear you."

Wen Tian nodded without looking around, as he helped his brother under his blankets. "You scared me," he said softly as the door closed. "I heard you make this…grunt and then all I could smell was blood. Then before I knew it, you were on the ground, and I was doing all I could to get you away from that man and somewhere safe where I could fight, if I needed to." Wu Dao said nothing, his pale face drawn and pinched with pain. He reached out with his right hand and took hold of his brother's hand, squeezing gently. Wen Tian stared in shock at his brother's hand, holding his. "I'm sorry I couldn't stop it," he said thickly. "It should have been _me_ taking the knife for you, not some random soldier." Wu Dao squeezed his brother's hand again, still silent. "I swore I'd be there to help you, and now you get stabbed right in front of me. I was so scared when you got slammed into me; I thought they'd stabbed you in the heart. I thought…"

Wu Dao struggled to an upright position and wrapped his good arm tightly around his Wen Tian. "Hush now, Little Brother. I'm alright. You heard Jiu Gui; I'll be just fine. Worst thing that happens is the wound takes longer to heal than it should. Stop your worrying, Brother. I'm going to be fine."

Wen Tian shuddered out a breath, "I just can't take the thought of losing anyone else," he whispered.

Wu Dao smiled, "Well, you won't be losing me anytime soon, Brother. I'll be here until you're sick of me."

Wen Tian smiled shakily, "I'm sorry for acting like an idiot. I just got scared, that's all. I'll be staying here beside you, so they won't have another chance."

Wu Dao nodded and fell silent, staring up at the ceiling and thinking. He sat thinking for so long that the candle by his bed had burnt out before he began to feel weary. Then, glancing to his right, he saw his brother fast asleep in a chair beside the bed, with his head pillowed on his arms. _He look like he did as a child_ , Wu Dao thought fondly. _Peaceful and without a care in the world. I hope I can help him regain at least some small part of his innocence._ With that thought, Wu Dao's eyes drooped, and sleep claimed him.

***End Note***

This one's a bit short, but the next one will likely be pretty long; there's a lot I still need to get through. Hope you enjoyed it, and as always - thanks for reading. lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	19. Chapter 19

***Author's Note***

Good Day, everyone. I'd like to take a moment to address the horrible events of last night in Thousand Oaks, California at the Borderline Bar and Grill. I live only a couple of towns over from there, and have visited the bar myself, so this is hitting me incredibly hard. This is literally in my own backyard. I can't say that I know all things, but I'm not going to sit here and say that I hate the shooter. I am angry and saddened, of course; but PTSD is, unfortunately, not something that will simply go away overnight - even with the appropriate treatment, and we still don't know as much about this horrible disease as we should. However, what I will say is that if this country had not so spectacularly failed our soldiers, it is entirely possible that this poor, troubled man may have gotten the help he needed so that none of this would have happened. However, since it has happened, I will simply say that it is inexcusable, and my deepest sympathies go with all of the victims of this horrible event. I truly hope that the day will come that events like these stop happening.

That being said, I hope you enjoy this chapter.

***End Note***

Wu Dao slept uninterrupted for two days and would have slept longer, had Wen Tian not shaken him awake. "Brother," he said softly, "you need to wake up now. There's someone we want you to meet." Wen Tian glanced behind him and beckoned to someone at the door.

Jiu Gui entered the room with a young man in tow, whose tunic was slightly loosened, showing the hint of bandages. "Your Majesty, this is Jin Su Li. This brave young soldier saved your life two days ago."

Su Li bowed while Wu Dao pushed himself into a sitting position. "It seems that I am in your debt. Thank you; I owe you my life. What can I do to show you my gratitude?"

Su Li bowed again and shook his head, "I…I want nothing, Your Majesty. I only want the opportunity to continue serving Your Majesty."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow and traded a veiled glance with his brother. Wen Tian nodded imperceptibly, and Wu Dao's mouth twitched slightly. "Well, if that is truly your wish…It seems that I will be in need of more bodyguards, since Bai Jaw Long was able to get to me so easily. You will be added to the list of men who already have the job."

Su Li looked like he may faint, "Th-Thank you, Your Majesty! I-I won't let you down!" The young man was so flummoxed that he turned to leave – and walked right into the open door. Wu Dao put on an innocent face and pretended he'd seen nothing while Jiu Gui simply looked the other way. Wen Tian, however, let out an enormous snort which he hastily tried to turn into a cough. The young man flushed scarlet and bowed his way out of the room.

Wu Dao glanced reproachfully at his brother, "You should not laugh at him," he said with a glint in his eye. "That could very easily have been you." Suddenly, a less-than-dignified squeak came from Wu Dao as he lost his composure and joined his brother in laughter. Even Jiu Gui chuckled along with the brothers.

"I really do feel sorry for the poor kid," Wen Tian chuckled. "I mean, doing something like that is bad enough – to do it in front of the Kings…. Poor kid." He finished with another snort. He readjusted the heavy crown he wore and frowned, "You know, I still don't know how it is that you wear this crown so easily. It's ridiculously heavy."

Wu Dao smiled and glanced at his own crown, which sat on his bedside table, "Just between the three of us, I find the weight to be nearly unbearable. I frequently sneak off somewhere to take it off for a while, so I can give my neck a rest." Wen Tian stared open-mouthed at his brother. "Personally, as much as the weight bothers me, I have always thought that was partially the point. It isn't simply a symbol of your position, but it is a physical reminder of the weight of responsibility we carry. It has kept me humble at times."

Wen Tian ran his hands over the crown, a thoughtful look on his face. "I don't know why I never thought of that before."

Wu Dao chuckled, "Probably because you weren't raised at father's side. He felt the same way, or at least I always felt he did. He always treated the crown like a heavy burden – but one that he was honored and pleased to bear." Wen Tian went silent and chewed at his bottom lip, deep in thought.

Yao Yao glanced up at the sky and wiped her brow. _This sun is going to cause a lot of problems_ , she thought. _I'd better make sure everyone is getting enough water. I know how they sometimes forget things like that when they get really into a project like this one._ She stood to stretch, wiping her hands on her jeans and leaving brown smudges from the dirt on her hands. It had been about two weeks since Wu Dao's visit, and she was starting to get concerned; she'd expected him to come far more often, but she'd heard nothing from the Dragon King. She returned her gaze to the ground and smiled at what she saw. Over the last two weeks, they had made enormous progress.

Where there had once been nothing but bleak desert landscape and hillside stretched an impressive, ancient road lined by toppled pillars with ancient carvings and writing that stretched the length of the pillars. Though the paint on the once-vibrant pillars had faded to time, they were no less imposing. Far in the distance beyond the tent city and latticework of grids, there could be seen an impressive wall, and the beginnings of an opening. _I'm really starting to worry about Wu Dao. He hasn't even answered his cell phone – although that could just be because he's busy. But for two whole weeks? You'd think he'd answer at least_ _ **one**_ _message. This just doesn't seem like him._

As though her thought had been the key to some magic spell, Yao Yao suddenly heard the distant sound of helicopter blades. She glanced up and saw a slick, black helicopter heading in the direction of the hillside behind her. She grinned widely and turned on her heel, sprinting up the hill and coming to a halt as the helicopter touched down. She bounced impatiently on the balls of her feet as at least a dozen strapping black-suited guards stepped out of the helicopter and cleared the area before Wu Dao stepped out, his arm in a sling. Yao Yao stared, open-mouthed at his arm as he made his way to her. "What happened to you?" She asked, "Are you alright?"

Wu Dao frowned and glanced over his shoulder at his guards. "I will explain when we are alone," he said quietly. Yao Yao wrinkled her brow in confusion but nodded and led him to her tent. The moment the tent flap had closed, he sighed in relief and sat heavily in a chair, rubbing absently at his bound shoulder. "It was an attempted assassination. The man tried to stab me in the back, but I managed to turn so it only hit my shoulder. I had intended to come and see your progress sooner, but my injury prohibited me. I see you've nearly broken through."

Yao Yao grinned hugely, "Yup! I'm expecting to have the entrance cleared by the beginning of next week. I can't believe how quickly this has gone, even with my prior knowledge of where everything was actually located. I'm very hopeful about what we'll find inside. Theoretically, the interior should still be intact. If I'm correct, the interior was sealed when the entrance was blocked. If so, then I just hit the best haul of my career. Of course, I'll let the Dragon Clan take out anything that you might not want to have falling into the wrong hands."

Wu Dao inclined his head, "That would be greatly appreciated. So, by next week I will be able to bring my brother?"

Yao Yao flushed and wrung her hands, "Yes. If everything goes well, then yes. It should be no problem to have the two of you here next week."

Wu Dao smiled, "Do not worry, Yao Yao. I think I have him fairly well convinced that he needs to find you. I also did not give him the option to turn down coming with me when the dig is far enough along that we can enter the tomb. He may be King right alongside me, but I am still his older brother – that still comes with privileges."

Yao Yao giggled. "Oh, I can just see the pouty look on his face when you told him that."

Wu Dao chuckled in response. "It was most certainly worth it." He stood and nodded to himself. "Alright, then. I will see you on Wednesday with my brother in tow."

Yao Yao flushed, then paled. "Alright. I'll see you both there." Wu Dao inclined his head and turned to leave. _I just hope this doesn't all blow up in my face_ , she thought ruefully.

***Author's Note***

Phew. Well, there's another one down! We're getting very, very close to the reunion I know we're all looking forward to. Thanks, as ever, for reading. Lots of love! Stay safe out there.

\- Lady Darkwind


	20. Chapter 20

***Author's Note***

I know, I know! It has been an _idiotically_ long time since my last update! I'm sorry. I've been sick, and busy with the holidays before that, and before that it was work, and...well, you get the point. Anywho, I've been looking forward to writing this chapter since I _started_ this one, sooo...without further ado...Enjoy.

***End Note***

Wu Dao woke early Wednesday morning feeling uncharacteristically nervous. _I can't remember the last time I was nervous about anything_ , he thought ruefully. _Well, I'm sure Yao Yao is just as nervous. And you will lose less than her if this goes badly._ Groaning, Wu Dao rolled over until his feet hit the cold marble floor of his grand bedroom in his elaborate Shanghai mansion. _Well, there is nothing to be gained by sitting here and fretting_ , he thought. Groaning slightly, he stood and stretched, sighing with pleasure as his back popped in numerous places. He showered quickly and dressed in a fine suit of stark black with a silk shirt of matte silver and a red-and-gray striped tie. He neatly combed his hair and admired the way the suit looked with his horns for just a moment before enacting the glamor that allowed him to mix with humans more easily. Sighing at the fact that such precautions were necessary, he shook his head at the mirror and strode quickly from his rooms, calling as he went: "Wen Tian! We need to leave now, or we will be late."

Wen Tian slammed his way out of his rooms and glowered at his brother across the bannisters in the entry hall. "I still don't see why the hell _I_ have to come. This is _your_ property, not mine. And I _know_ what the tomb of our father looks like. Why would I want to see it in the sorry state it must be in by now?"

Wu Dao resisted rolling his eyes at his brother with extreme effort, "I don't care if you want to go or not. We're going."

Wen Tian groaned and followed his brother – with very poor grace – downstairs and to the front drive, where a fleet of cars was waiting to take them to the private airstrip owned by Dragon Holdings, where a helicopter stood by to take them directly to the dig site. After much grumbling and complaining from Wen Tian, they finally arrived at the airstrip and loaded themselves and the best of their bodyguards into the craft. The grumbling persisted even as the helicopter left the city behind and the spectacular countryside stretched endlessly before them. At long last, Wen Tian fell silent as they came nearer to the dig site, while Wu Dao's insides seemed to writhe like snakes as his nerves mounted higher the nearer they came.

The helicopter lowered slowly to the ground and the bodyguards disembarked first, glancing carefully around to be sure there was no one hostile nearby. Wu Dao watched his men carefully, aware that they seemed tense for some reason he could not comprehend. Once he had received the signal from his head of security, Wu Dao stepped carefully off of the helicopter and dashed quickly under the still-rotating blades, Wen Tian close behind. As soon as the brothers straightened and looked at each other, they silently communicated that they had come to the same conclusion; there was something in the air. Whatever it was seemed just barely off the scale of what the senses could pick up; something that was almost a scent, but not quite. It was the feeling of tenseness that tends to come before an unplanned – but not entirely unexpected – battle. Narrowing his eyes at his younger brother, Wu Dao nodded slightly and turned to tread down the now-familiar aisles of quadrants, expertly leading his brother towards the now-visible tomb entrance.

Wu Dao had to admit to himself that he was impressed; _They work quite quickly, for humans_ , he thought. The entrance had been fully cleared and the outer wall was now entirely visible. From the doorway, he could see the gleam of artificial lights; clearly, they had breached the inner chamber and were already excavating the interior ruins. "Impressive," Wen Tian said behind him. "They have only been here a few months? I thought it usually took years to dig out something as large as Father's tomb."

Wu Dao hid his answering smirk by rubbing at his nose, "That is what I had heard, as well. However, I have the two leading experts of Nan Yue in charge here. I suppose their experience and knowledge has sped their excavation." Without another word, Wu Dao increased his speed slightly in his eagerness to see the work that Yu Die had put in.

They were met at the tomb entrance by Yu Die's assistant, a bright-eyed young graduate that beamed up at them, "Good morning, Mr. Dao. I hope your journey was easy enough? I'm sure you're impatient to see the interior; I've never seen anything like it before! Well, anyway, I won't keep you any longer. Please follow me."

The girl led them on, eager to please as Wu Dao rolled his eyes at his brother behind her back, causing one of their guards to snort with laughter that he hastily turned into a violent sneeze. Through the ancient antechamber and up the familiar old stairs the brothers walked, the sound of many small chisels and brushes ahead of them.

Wu Dao watched as Wen Tian's eyes fell on an all-too-familiar ponytail and froze on the spot. Taking a few careful steps back and waving for his guards to do the same, he crossed his arms as Yao Yao's assistant called to her, "Professor Ding?"

Yao Yao stood and turned as though in slow motion, whereas Wen Tian's heart seemed to go into overdrive. Yao Yao's eyes fell on him and her hands jumped suddenly to her mouth with an odd half-choked scream. Wen Tian's hands began to shake as she neared him; absurdly, he noticed that there were slight wrinkles around her mouth and eyes that hadn't been there three thousand years ago. The observation nearly made him smile, but he stood expressionless as she drew near and extended her arms as though to embrace him. Then, without warning, she jerked and dropped her arms as though she had been burned. The pair of them stood staring at each other for what seemed like hours, every eye in the room staring, every tongue silent.

Finally, the silence was broken. "Yao Yao? Is..Is that really you?"

Yao Yao nodded silently, the tears in her eyes threatening to overflow. "Wen Tian…I'm so sorry," her voice broke on a sob and her knees began to buckle.

Wen Tian crossed the remaining distance in the space of a breath and caught her in his arms before she could fall. "Me, too." He whispered, "I'm sorry I didn't fight for you. I should have tried harder to make you stay; or I should have gone with you. It seems I took the long way around, though." At this, every woman in the room ooed and aahed, causing Wu Dao to grin uncharacteristically. Just then, Wen Tian's eyes fell on his older brother, " _You_ ," he snarled – though there was a glint of humor in his eyes. "You've been trying to get me to come here for weeks! You knew about this?"

Wu Dao chuckled, "Of course I did, don't be thick. I hired Yao Yao and her father personally."

Wen Tian growled at his brother, "So, you've seen her every time you've made a site visit, then?" Wu Dao nodded serenely. "And how exactly do you justify that? I haven't seen her in three thousand years, and you just come waltzing in here whenever you feel like it…" Words seemed to fail him as his brother nodded a second time, still just as serene.

"Well, you didn't want to come, so…" he shrugged; Wen Tian's playful glower darkened as he advanced on his brother.

"And if I had known she was here.."

Wu Dao drew himself up to his full height, the beginnings of temper flashing in his eyes and making him look all the more dangerous for the Armani suit and the lack of horns. "If you had known she was here, you would have been angry and told me there was no way in hell you were going to see her." The King answered in his quietest and most dangerous voice. "Until now, you have been furious with her for leaving you there; for the last two thousand years, I have put up with your increasingly foul moods and spiraling attitude. I did you a favor."

Whatever Wen Tian's retort was, it was drowned out by shouts from the entrance to the tomb. One of their bodyguards sprinted inside, bowing as he came to a halt before the Dragon Kings, "Your Majesties, we've been ambushed! It's Bai Jaw Long and his men, My Lords."

Wen Tian and Wu Dao glowered at each other for another moment before Wu Dao cocked his head slightly, "So. Abandon all pretense, then?"

Wen Tian pursed his lips with a half-smile as he nodded, "Well, I don't see why not. We've already let the proverbial cat out of the bag about our ages, anyway."

Wu Dao smiled fiercely, "I suppose that is true. I did wonder when that old coward would show himself again after his last failed coup." With a matching pair of smirks, the brothers simultaneously flicked their wrists, dispelling their illusions and allowing their true selves to be seen, and changing back into their Nan Yue-era garb once again.

As they summoned their weapons, there was a gasp from behind them; "It's them," said one of the archaeologists, "They're the men on the walls! How is this even _possible_?"

The brothers chuckled and leapt to the stairs in one great bound; they were down the stairs and through the antechamber before anyone was even sure that they had moved at all, their guards dispelling their illusions and following quickly after the two kings. As Wu Dao and Wen Tian rushed into the daylight with their cloaks streaming out behind them, to find a battle already raging and the archaeologists running for cover. In the center of the dig site, Bai Jaw Long stood with one large man on either side of him, watching as a full dozen of his men fought the two men at the entrance. Wu Dao watched Jaw Long's eyes narrow as he and Wen Tian joined the fray, easily turning the tide just between the two of them. As the four guards that had accompanied them inside came streaming out of the tomb, Jaw Long growled; even from such a distance, Wu Dao could hear it.

Grinning with blood lust, the brothers strode easily through the skirmish, making their way steadily towards Bai Jaw Long. At his signal, the two men beside him sprinted towards the Kings, and they responded in kind. The four of them collided viciously somewhere in the middle, but only Wu Dao and Wen Tian kept their feet. The fight took only a minute or two before the brother easily overpowered and slew Jaw Long's men. "I knew they were over-priced," he grumbled. "Ah, well. I never really expected this to work, anyway. I just wanted to know how easy it would be to get to that which you hold most dear."

Wu Dao furrowed his brow, "What do you mean?"

Jaw Long smiled nastily as behind them they heard Yao Yao cry out, "Wen Tian! Be careful!" Without another word, Jaw Long's wrist flicked out, faster than a striking cobra, and something shiny sped from his hand and struck with a dull _thud_ in Yao Yao's shoulder. "You should really be more careful with something so precious," he said in a mocking tone. "Especially when that something is so very, very _fragile_." Laughing, he transformed into a dragon and was gone before any of the guards could marshal against him.

"Yao Yao!" Wen Tian screamed her name as he sprinted down the hill, nearly falling numerous times, Wu Dao hard on his heels. Skidding to her side on his knees, Wen Tian examined her with trembling fingers, "It's alright," he said with great relief. "It's not fatal. She'll be alright."

"Wen…Tian…Something…Something doesn't feel right," Yao Yao muttered. "It…it burns…" Suddenly, her eyes popped so wide that a couple of blood vessels burst instantly. Her back arched and an unearthly scream came from her throat so vicious that they _heard_ the tissues in her throat tear.

Without hesitation, Wu Dao shoved his brother aside, hard, sending him sprawling as the guards gathered around, pale and shaken. Wen Tian stared at Yao Yao's face, pale as death and quivering like an aspen tree in a summer breeze. Without touching the dagger or the wound, Wu Dao pulled aside Yao Yao's shirt and jacket, examining the wound more carefully. He cursed loudly as she continued to scream. "It's as I feared. She's been poisoned, but I don't know which poison it is." Glancing at his guards, he chose the one who he knew to be the fastest flyer. "YOU!" He bellowed, "Transform and get back to the Dragon Realm! Bring the Royal Physician as quickly as you can! If she dies before you return, I will kill you myself!" The man nodded and transformed on the spot. " _If_ you're lucky, it will be me that kills you," Wu Dao added darkly. The dragon's pupils dilated with fear and he nodded, streaking away into the sky. "Hold on, Yao Yao.

Wen Tian struggled to his knees and crawled over to Yao Yao, taking her taut hand in his, "Hold on, please," he begged in a quiet, broken voice. "I just found you. Don't leave me yet. I…I haven't even gotten to yell at you yet. Because I am very, _very_ angry with you. So...so don't go. Not yet. Please." Tears fell into the dust as Wen Tian sobbed, watching his beloved twitch and scream before him.

***Author's Note***

I'm sure I have a number of people swearing up one side and down the other that they will kill me if they ever get their hands on me, but...I promise, there is a method to my madness! You should know by now that I wouldn't let it end like this! Well, until next time, dear ones. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	21. Chapter 21

***Author's Note***

Good evening, my dears! I knew that certain persons among my readers would be just about ready to murder me by now, so I figured I'd better put this up before the day ended. Therefore...HERE IT IS! Enjoy, my dear ones!

***End Note***

In shorter time than anyone had dared hope, the guard had returned with the Royal Physician. The two Dragons swept gracefully out of the sky, the dull brown that was the guard and the deep green-and-red that was the Physician. The Physician had transformed before he had landed, and was running the moment his feet hit the ground. He was a thin, stooped old man with hair long enough to tuck into his belt and a long, Fu Manchu-style mustache and beard that fell far past his chin and brushed his chest. Both his hair and beard were of the purest white, but his deep black eyes were as sharp and alert as those of a man one-third his age. He wore robes of a deep blue and green, and carried a long wooden staff with a gem the same deep blue of the ocean embedded at the top. He skidded to a halt beside the still-screaming Yao Yao and knelt beside Wu Dao, examining the wound with care and confidence bred from his thousands of years of experience.

As he examined the wound and the pale gray that the skin around the wound was turning, his expression became more grim, and his face drawn. He sighed heavily and shook his head. Motioning to the brothers, the Physician stood and walked a short distance away from Yao Yao. "I am afraid that the situation is far more severe than I envisioned, Your Majesties." He sighed again, glancing sadly at Yao Yao, who was still screaming and convulsing. "This poison...It hasn't been seen for thousands of years."

Wen Tian paled still further, "But, you _have_ seen it before? Haven't you?"

The Physician nodded slowly, "Yes, My Lord. But...That does not make the situation any better. I am afraid that this is the Medusa poison, Your Majesties."

Wu Dao's brow furrowed, "The Medusa poison? I've never heard of it."

The Physician nodded, his expression grave, "You wouldn't have, Your Majesty. The Medusa poison is aptly-named. It turns its victims slowly to stone from the outside in so that even while their internal organs turn to stone, they feel every moment of their slow death. It is a most cruel and vicious way to die, which is why your father banned its use and creation one thousand years before either of you were born. Even the documents detailing its creation were destroyed – at least he thought they were. Bai Jaw Long must have had a secret copy hidden somewhere. Any documents related to it – that even _mentioned_ it were destroyed thousands of years ago."

Wen Tian cried out in agony and despair. "Is there no hope, then!?"

The Physician's brow furrowed further. Wu Dao watched his expression carefully, "What is it that you aren't telling us?" He asked gently.

The old man frowned deeply, "There is one cure, My Lords." Wen Tian looked up with hope in his eyes. "But it has never been attempted on a human before. I have no idea what it might do to her!"

Wen Tian drew a shaky breath. "What is the cure?"

The Physician chewed on his lip for a moment, "I must take half of her heart and swap it with half of the heart of a dragon."

"Fine. Take mine," Wen Tian began to remove his tunic.

The Physician shook his head, "I'm sorry, Your Majesty. But you are only half-dragon. The heart must be that of a full dragon, if the treatment is to work."

Wen Tian began to object, but Wu Dao held up a hand to stop him. "Fine. Then take mine."

The Physician paled, "But My Lord..."

Wu Dao shook his head, "If the procedure fails, we have another King that can continue to rule."

The Physician nodded slowly. "Then there are some things you will need to know, My Lord." Wu Dao spread his hands in an invitation for the man to continue. "You and she will be connected, My Lord. Each shall live as long as the other. In other words, she will become Immortal, but if she should be killed, you also will die. As this has never been done with a human heart before, I can only guess at what her reaction will be. However, usually the stronger heart is the dominant heart. When one heart is stronger than the other, then the weaker heart tends to become more like the stronger one. In this case...I think she may develop dragon-like traits over time, My Lord. I am uncertain what traits she may develop, so I will need to keep a close eye on her for the first few hundred years."

Wu Dao nodded, "Very well. I understand the risks. We need to do this immediately; we will take her to the Dragon Realm."

"No, My Lord! She is far too fragile and weak just now for such a journey. I will have to do the procedure here."

Wu Dao nodded, "Very well. Professor Ding!" He called. Yao Yao's father rushed over to them. "Is there somewhere we can perform a very delicate operation?"

The Professor nodded, "Of course. We can use the main tent; we keep it as sealed as possible – it is the closest thing to sterile we will find around here."

"Very well; I will need the patients moved there immediately, and I will begin my work."

Wu Dao nodded, and laid a gentle hand on Professor Ding's shoulder. "Yao Yao has been poisoned and there is but one way to save her; we don't know if the procedure will work, or what the side effects might be, but we feel that we must try."

The Professor nodded, "I understand. But if there is even the chance of saving my daughter, I will do whatever must be done."

Wu Dao smiled, ever-so-slightly. "I know you would. However, there is nothing you can do in this case; that is for me to do. The only thing that can save her now is a transplant. I must give her half of my heart and take half of hers in return." The Professor let out an exclamation of surprise. "This is my decision, Professor, and one that I have made gladly. However, Yao Yao may change a bit. We don't know exactly what will happen to her, but she will not remain the same as she has been."

Professor Ding paled but nodded, "Alright. As long as it saves here, I don't care how much she changes. She will always be my daughter."

Wu Dao nodded and smiled slightly, "I am glad you see it that way. I will head in now for the procedure."

Wu Dao parted the tent flap and walked into the tent, which had been cleared and scrubbed as clean as possible so that it could serve as an impromptu surgical room. The Physician came quickly towards him, "We need to get you ready, My Lord. Remove your garments and get on that table over there." He pointed to a bare metal table. "I will give you something to make you sleep. When you wake...Well, you'll be a bit different. The next week or so will be exceedingly important to the both of you. It is necessary to keep a close physical distance so that the bond will be that much stronger. If you are far from one another, the connection between your hearts will not be as strong, and will put both of your lives in danger. Do you understand?"

Wu Dao nodded, "I do. However, I have one question." The Physician watched him expectantly. "How will her heart affect me?"

The Physician's eyebrows winged up in surprise, "I can't be certain, My Lord. However, if I had do hazard a guess, I would say that you may begin to exhibit some of her more prominent personality traits. Other than that, I cannot say for certain."

Wu Dao nodded, "Very well. If that is the most that you can ascertain, then I will ready myself for this surgery, and for the unknown thereafter."

The Physician glanced to see that the sedative he had already given Yao Yao was working and was glad to see that her convulsions had ceased. Sighing heavily to himself, he rolled up the sleeves of his robes and pinned them to the fabric at his shoulders. Steeling himself, he crossed to the King and administered a much stronger sedative to Wu Dao. Removing the needle from hie King's arm, he said, "The sedative I used on you is far stronger than the one I used on Miss Yao Yao, as Dragons are far more resistant to them than humans. As such, you should begin to lose consciousness in a few minutes."

Wu Dao nodded, "Good. If I should not wake from this, I want you to tell my brother that I love him, and always have. Even when I was ashamed of him and tried to kill him every time I saw him. I have always loved him."

The Physician smiled sadly and nodded, "I will do as you request, Your Majesty." Wu Dao nodded groggily as he succumbed to the sedative. "And now we shall see if my theory is correct, or if I have just damned both of our Kings to two different kinds of death." With a roll of his shoulders to steel himself to the job ahead, the Physician began.

Outside the tent, it was sheer bedlam. All of the archaeologists and assistants were in an uproar about what they had just witnessed. Wen Tian was pacing nervously up and down the lane outside the tent as Professor Ding dealt with all of the shouted questions that Wen Tian was simply not in the mood to even register, let alone answer. Amid shouts of "What is going on?", "Is she okay?", and "Why did they do this?" came the one he had been fearing the most: "What are they?"

This question had the most unfortunate affect of bringing a ringing and highly uncomfortable silence. "What are they? Hmm. Well, that is...Ah...That certainly is the question, isn't it? Hmm. Well, they are immortal beings, but I'm sure you've already figured that out. I suppose the easiest way...The way I'd put it...Well, they...I mean..."

Wen Tian rolled his eyes, "Dragons. We're Dragons. Damn, old man. You make it impossible to think with all your stammering. We. Are. Dragons. Not really that hard to figure out."

"If you're all Dragons, why didn't you transform like the rest of them?"

Wen Tian glared at the speaker, "Because I'm half human," he said quietly. "Because of that, I can't transform."

This revelation was met with further silence. "Well, what is going to happen to Yao Yao?"

Professor Ding and Wen Tian exchanged wary glances. "Yao Yao will receive a procedure that only the Dragons can perform. It will...change her a little, but it will save her life. In theory. It has never been performed on a human before, so they're working off of guesswork and our similar physiology," responded the Professor.

"But why did the other Dragon have to go in there?"

Wen Tian clenched a fist, "It isn't your business why my brother went into the tent. All you need to know is that he was needed for the procedure. Other than that, it's not your damn business."

"Well, we know _what_ you are, but _who_ are you?"

Wen Tian rolled his eyes again, "I am Wen Tian, and my brother is Wu Dao. We are the Kings of the Dragon Clan. My brother and I rule together, as partners. I have the right, as I am the son of the previous King, as is my brother."

"So your mother was human?"

Wen Tian's face seemed to slam shut. "Yes."

"Where is she, then?"

"Dead," he replied tersely.

This declaration was met with much muttering and amazement. "But if your father was such a mighty Dragon, why is she dead?"

"First of all, she was human," he snapped back. "Secondly, my father was busy with wars with other Demon clans at the time. She has been dead for thousands of years now. Father was furious when he found she had been murdered, but there was nothing he could do. He had been forbidden by the Goddess to have anything further to do with my mother after I was born."

"Why?"

"My mother was a sacred Priestess. My parents broke several laws, for which my mother was frequently rebuked, harassed, assaulted, and eventually burned at the stake. If it weren't for my abilities, I would have met the same fate as my mother."

"How old were you?" Came the hushed response.

"I was nine," he said just as quietly. "I was on my own from that time until I met Yao Yao, when she fell through what I now understand was a wormhole to my time."

"So, how old are you, then?"

Wen Tian smirked, "I am four thousand and two hundred years old. My brother, since I'm sure that will be your next question, is six thousand and six hundred years old – give or take. After a while, you really stop counting."

Shocked silence met his words, and Professor Ding caught Wen Tian smirking out of the corner of his eye. "Any further questions?" He asked politely. When no one answered, he said, "Alright, then. We will let you know when the Physician is finished. Until then, please retire to your tents. Should anyone need to retrieve something in a hurry coming from this tent, they would not be able to get through." Glancing shamefacedly at each other, the assembled crowd dispersed, leaving only Wen Tian and Professor Ding in an awkward silence.

"About Yao Yao..."

Professor Ding stopped Wen Tian with an upheld hand. "I understand, Wen Tian. Truly, I do. I lost my beloved wife far before her time to cancer. I miss her every day. The fact that you have returned speaks volumes to the way you truly feel for her. I may not understand the horns, but I _do_ understand love, and that you cannot choose when you find it, or when it strikes you down. I also know that my daughter has torn herself to bits over the last five years about leaving you behind. I believe everything happens as it is meant to. You two were meant to meet three thousand years ago, and you were meant to meet again now. Everything will be as it is meant to be, don't you worry."

Wen Tian watched the Professor closely for a moment before extending his hand and shaking the Professor's, "I'm glad you understand. I suppose you're right, though. I can't imagine what my brother would have done without me for the last three thousand years."

Just as the sun was beginning to dip behind the mountains, the Physician held aside the tent flap, looking haggard and exhausted, "It is finished," he said. "They should be waking shortly, and then we will know if it has been a success or not."

Wen Tian and Professor Ding rushed into the tent, rushing to the side of their loved one. After a few minutes, Wu Dao stirred and groaned in pain, "Oooh," he said. "I feel like I've been stabbed again."

Wen Tian snorted, "Well...technically, if you think about it..."

"Wen Tian...shut up," Wu Dao grumbled.

Just then, Yao Yao moaned, "Oh it hurts. Why do I hurt so much? Daddy?"

"It's okay, sweetheart," the Professor answered gently. "They did a surgery to try to help you. How are you feeling?"

The Physician hurried over and began to examine her. He checked the surgical incision at her chest, her eyes, pulse, and heart rate before finally checking her shoulder. What he saw made him smile as she answered, "I don't know, really. I feel a bit...odd, to be honest. But I don't feel like I'm burning anymore."

The Physician nodded and smiled wider, "That is good; it seems your heart and Wu Dao's heart are, indeed, compatible. The wound at your shoulder is greatly improved," he informed her. "The graying pallor of your skin has begun to recede, and there is no redness in the incision in your chest, so there is no infection – yet. I will stay close by your sides for the next week."

Yao Yao stared, open-mouthed, at the Physician. "My... _what_? Wu Dao's... _WHAT_!?"

Wen Tian smirked down at his brother, "Oh, yeah. She's going to be fine."

***Author's Note***

I figured I'd end this chapter with a laugh, since it was such a serious one. Hope you all enjoyed it! Anyway, I gotta dash! Time to make dinner! Lots of love, all!

\- Lady Darkwind


	22. Chapter 22

***Author's Note***

Good Day, all! I know, I know. It's been FOREVER since I wrote. I'm sorry. I've been going through some really hard times in my personal and business life, so I just haven't had to time or energy to write over the last few months. However, I have a great deal of time these days, and I really need something to lift my spirits; therefore...I HAVE RETURNED! Lol. Well, without further ado...enjoy, dear ones.

***End Note

Yao Yao stared, uncomprehending, at the men grouped around her in the tent where she had just – apparently – had half of he heart ripped out and replaced with half of Wu Dao's heart. A terrible rage began to bubble up inside of her as she stared, mouth open, at the men staring at her as though this were the most natural thing in the world. "So," she started in what she hoped was a calm voice. "The four of you just _decided_ on your own and _without my permission_ to rip half of my heart out of my chest and put in half of a _Dragon heart_ inside me." Professor Ding and Wen Tian exchanged nervous glances.

Wu Dao, however, seemed blissfully unaware of the impending danger. "Well, you were not in any condition to make decisions for yourself, so yes. We decided that this was the best course of action."

Yao Yao's eyes narrowed to tiny slits as she glared at the eldest Dragon King, while his brother did his level best to melt into the canvas of the tent. "Did you ever stop to think, Oh Magnanimous One, how _I_ might feel about all of this!? What happens to you when my human life runs out?"

Wu Dao chuckled, "Well, that is the beauty of the situation. It won't."

Yao Yao blinked. "It won't? What do you mean, it won't?"

Wu Dao smiled at her, as one would smile at a child who does not grasp a simple concept. "Well, you see, I am immortal. Therefore, my heart is naturally stronger than yours. Which means that you will live as long as I do. Since I am immortal, I will never die, unless it is in battle. And since you live as long as I do…" He spread his hands wide, as if the matter was settled.

Yao Yao's mouth worked silently for a moment, "Well…Well, what if _I_ get killed?"

Wu Dao blinked. "Well, then I would die, obviously."

Yao Yao paled, "You would die."

"Yes."

"And I suppose you thought of that, did you?" She asked, still pale.

"Of course, I did," Wu Dao responded. "If I die, there is another King that can replace me. Also, I have far less to lose. I have no lover to leave behind."

Yao Yao's jaw dropped at the fact that Wu Dao had missed an enormous flaw in his brilliant plan. "And what about Wen Tian?"

"What about him?" Over Wu Dao's shoulder, Wen Tian did his best to melt into the floor. "If we both die, then he loses both his only brother, and his only love in the same moment! He will be left utterly alone."

Wu Dao blinked, clearly astonished. "I…I never thought of that," he said, mollified. "I was only thinking that if I were to die, I would not leave behind a woman to miss me." He glanced guiltily at his brother, "I am sorry, Wen Tian. I never once considered how you would feel, should the worse happen."

Wen Tian nodded quietly, "That's alright. I know you were thinking of my happiness, and I appreciate that. But I don't want to lose either of you, so I think we should keep this as close a secret as possible. The less people who know about this, the better."

Wu Dao nodded, "I agree. I would rather the fact that my life depends on a simple human girl not become public knowledge."

Yao Yao glowered at him, "Simple? I am many things. Simple is not one of them."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow and inclined his head, saying nothing. The Physician waited a moment in silence, stroking his long, pointed beard, before he spoke again. "It is very wise of you to keep this a secret known only to the people in this tent, My Lord; perhaps Jui Gui should know, as well? He has always been extremely loyal to Your Majesties."

Wu Dao nodded again, "I think that would be acceptable. He is very trustworthy; he has only ever desired to serve my family, not tear it apart. But I don't think any of the guards should know. I trust them to protect my flesh, not my secrets."

The Physician smiled, "Again you show wisdom, Your Majesty. Now; I will be staying near to you and Miss Yao Yao to be sure that you heal properly. Also, I will be monitoring the bond; I need to know of any change that you may feel so that we can make a note of it."

Yao Yao frowned at the man, "Why?" she asked, looking genuinely curious.

The Physician chuckled, "Well, this is the first time this particular operation has been done on a human, and we need to record it for future Royal Physicians, should they ever have need to use it again. Also, he is the King, so I must pay special attention to his healing."

Yao Yao shrugged, which caused her to wince. "Okay, I suppose I understand that part. But why does _he_ get to move around, while I'm stuck laying down?"

The Physician threw his head back and laughed, "Well, Miss Yao Yao, he is my King. So if he wants to disregard my suggestions, he can; and there is nothing I can do about it."

Yao Yao raised an eyebrow, "Oh, is that so?" Grinning evilly, she began to sit up in an attempt to stand that made her wince. "Then I guess I can, too."

Wu Dao shrugged slightly, "My heart is that of a Dragon; we heal much faster, so I should be just…." His regal face twisted suddenly with pain and he doubled over, clutching at his chest." Glaring at Yao Yao, he snarled, "Lay back down; you're damaging our hearts."

Yao Yao smirked in triumph, "You first," she said simply.

Wu Dao's mouth fell open while Wen Tian and Professor Ding glanced quickly away from each other to keep from bursting into laughter. "Fine," Wu Dao grumbled. "Have it your way." He made his way slowly back to his own table and laid back down with as much grace as he could muster.

Yao Yao watched him for a moment, then nodded in satisfaction, "That's what I thought," she said with a smirk. She and Wu Dao winced simultaneously as she lowered herself back onto her own table.

Wu Dao regained what dignity he could and laid back down, muttering to himself things that were only half-heard like, "Can't believe she...", "Never been treated," and "Who does she think..." Wen Tian and Professor Ding glanced at each other, but quickly looked away to keep from laughing.

The Physician watched his King carefully, then chuckled, "Well, I never thought I would see the day that the King of the Dragon Clan could be ordered around by a mere human, but I'm quite glad to have lived long enough to witness it."

Yao Yao giggled from where she was laying, but Wu Dao just rolled his eyes and looked pointedly away from them all. "Well, when can we get out of here?" Yao Yao wanted to know.

The Physician chewed his lip for a moment, "Well, I should think that once the last symptoms of the poison are gone, it should be safe to move you. I'll come up with some kind of complicated medical statement regarding how I cured you; I'll say it required Dragon blood or something, I think. Obviously, your treatment would have been ordered directly by the Kings, so no one should be suspicious; at least, not for very long. I'm not sure how the process will work, since you're human, but I should think that by tomorrow morning, at the latest, you should be safe to be moved to a more secure location."

Wu Dao grunted, "She will be moved to our mansion in Shanghai. We have more than enough rooms there – she and her father will be very comfortable there. I'll see to it that the servants treat them like royalty. They will have nothing to fear while Ding Yao recovers."

Wen Tian stared at his brother for a moment, stunned. "Thank you, Wu Dao. I...I don't know what to say."

"Say you won't let that girl go this time. That's all I need to hear from you."

Wen Tian's face grew very serious, and he nodded. "You have my word, brother. Thank you." He bowed deeply to his brother, receiving only a grunt in answer.

As the Physician predicted, by morning Yao Yao had recovered enough to be flown back to Shanghai. There was a great deal of fuss as they carried Yao Yao out of the tent on a stretcher, towards the helicopter that stood waiting. Wu Dao insisted, however, that he was well enough to climb into the helicopter on his own. _But judging from the way her face just paled, I get the feeling my dear old brother lied_ , Wen Tian thought wryly. _Ah, well. At least I know she'll be safe there. And I will_ _ **never**_ _let her out of my sight again._ Professor Ding climbed into the helicopter after Wen Tian and settled himself nervously as far from the door as was possible. Wen Tian chuckled, "You don't like helicopters, Professor?"

Professor Ding paled, "Not particularly, no. I much prefer airplanes, if I must fly at all. I don't see what is so wrong with keeping your feet firmly on the ground your whole life."

Wen Tian chuckled, "Well, I suppose I don't really understand that, myself. Growing up unable to fly, as I am only half Dragon, I have always longed to be able to fly. Since I will likely never be able to do so on my own, helicopters are about the closest I'm going to get, I think."

Professor Ding looked at him, slightly discomfited, "I suppose I never thought of it from that perspective before. But then, your people were _born_ to fly. Humans were not made with the ability, and it makes me wonder if there wasn't a reason for that."

Wen Tian grinned, "I suppose that is a natural reaction," he mused, "But I just don't understand it." Professor Ding nodded and fell silent, clearly trying to keep his breakfast where he had put it. Wen Tian looked out the window at the forest that was so rapidly disappearing below them. _It's hard to believe that it's been three thousand years_ , he thought. _I really don't feel that old. The Heavens know my reflection doesn't show it. I suppose my eyes do,_ he conceded to himself. _But that's really the only place. Not a wrinkle or gray hair as yet. I can't really say the same for Wu Dao. He's got a couple of wrinkles, but then he's fifteen hundred years older than I am._ His thoughts trailed off into silence, as his memories turned back to when he had first met Yao Yao, causing a slight smile to cross his face.

Wu Dao watched his brother closely, satisfied when he saw the slight smile on Wen Tian's face. _Huh. I thought certainly his face would crack, it's been so long since he smiled. At least some good as come out of this mess. Now all I need to figure out is how it was that Jaw Long found us. I only told a very few where we were going. So either someone was listening that should not have been, or we have a traitor in our midst. I certainly hope it is not the latter; spies are always so difficult to weed out. They are entirely too crafty for their own good._ He sighed, _Well, I suppose I will have to start looking into this myself. The only people I can trust right now are Wen Tian and Jiu Gui. I'll have them help me, but no one else can know that I'm investigating this matter._ Glancing out at the ground below, he noticed that the leaves were beginning to change color. _Fall,_ he thought. _She loved fall._

***Author's Note***

Well, there you have it! I know, I know. The last line, man...I HAD TO! I hope you enjoyed my return. I hope to put up another chapter tomorrow. As always, thank you for reading; I can't believe how many people have read this story lately! Lots of love, all!

\- Lady Darkwind


	23. Chapter 23

***Author's Note***

Good Afternoon, dearies! I've been so busy with job hunting of late that I simply haven't had the time for writing. Well, at long last I sat down and forced myself to take a break today, and here is the result! I truly hope you enjoy it!

***End Note***

As the helicopter came to a gentle landing in front of Wu Dao's elegant Shanghai home, Yao Yao stared in wonder, her mouth agape in astonishment. Wu Dao glanced at her as he climbed gracefully from the cabin and smirked. "You...You live _here_?" Yao Yao stammered, her eyes wide. "How can you _possibly_ live here?"

Wu Dao chuckled slightly, "You forget; I've been building my fortune for thousands of years. Frankly, I have more money than I will be able to spend in any number of lifetimes. It becomes rather tedious, after a while. Which is why I travel between realms on a regular basis. I find the age-old problems of the Dragon Clan to be...restful after a long tenure here in the Mortal realm."

Yao Yao raised an eyebrow and shook her head, "I don't know. I'd be afraid to live here; I'd be constantly worried that I'd break some irreplaceable artifact or fall down some stairs and get blood all over the marble."

Wen Tian snorted, and Wu Dao glanced at Yao Yao with a raised eyebrow, "Well, when you have as much money as we do, there is no longer such a thing as 'irreplaceable', unless it is is a life. As for the blood on the marble...it wouldn't be the first time there was blood on the marble in our home." He grinned hugely as he breezed past Yao Yao, her eyes wide as dinner plates at the implications of his casual statement.

Wen Tian leaned in close, "Don't worry; he's only joking." He paused for a moment, his face scrunched in thought, "At least, I _think_ he is."

Yao Yao rolled her eyes at him, "You are the absolute _worst_ at comforting people, did you know that!?"

Wen Tian nodded, "I did, in fact," he admitted cheerfully. "You used to make it remarkably plain, remember?"

Yao Yao rolled her eyes at him, "Yes, of course I do. It was more recent for me than you, after all." The moment the words were out of her mouth, she regretted them.

Wen Tian winced and his face clouded, "Yes," he said darkly, "I am very well aware of that."

"So," Yao Yao cast desperately about for a new topic, "Who were those guys that attacked us?"

Wen Tian's face darkened still further, "They are a separatist group that has been trying to disrupt the rule of the Dragon Throne for many centuries. They are led by Bai Jaw Long, a very dangerous – and old – Dragon. He was once our father's enemy, and now he is ours. It was he who poisoned you. Although _where_ he gained access to such a poison is beyond me. All records of it were supposed to have been destroyed a long time ago." He fell silent as they climbed the massive pure-white stone stairs, lined on either side with liveried servants. "Well, I expect Wu Dao and I will figure this out quickly enough. There weren't that many people who knew where we were going, and all of them were trusted implicitly, so I doubt they were the ones who set us up. I have a terrible feeling that this will get worse before it gets better, though."

Yao Yao glared at him, "See? Getting worse all the time at the whole comforting thing."

Wen Tian glanced at her and broke into a smile, his whole face seeming to beam with light, "Well, _some_ things have to stay consistent, right?"

Yao Yao joined him in laughter as they entered the main hall of the grand mansion, her mouth falling open at the scope of the place. "I am glad you are impressed," came Wu Dao's voice from above. "Perhaps you will be more careful about not getting blood on anything. I would hate to be the one to anger the staff, personally. They are not just servants; they are, each and every one, trained assassins. I would rather have them guarding my home, personally."

Yao Yao cocked her head in confusion, "Why?"

Wu Dao smiled slightly, "Who better to catch thieves and spies than other thieves and spies?"

Professor Ding chuckled from behind them, "He has a good point, daughter. No one ever thinks to check the servants for bodyguards, and he is far safer here than anywhere else – perhaps even in his own throne room!"

Wu Dao and Wen Tian's faces darkened simultaneously. "You are quite correct, Professor," Wu Dao said with great dignity and barely-suppressed rage. "A very short time ago, in fact, an attempt was made on my life in my very own throne room. The would-be assassin was easily dispatched, but we have no idea how he got in to begin with. I am certain that these events are connected – likely the same inside man, but I cannot begin to imagine who that might be." He shook himself out of his reverie, "Well, there is nothing further that can be done at this moment," he said forcefully. "I will show you to your room, Ding Yao. Professor, my Head of House will show you to your room. Wen Tian, I trust you need no help to find yours?"

Wen Tian scowled, "No, I don't need help," he snarled. "Though you'd _think_ there would be a _little_ concession to the _king_ ," he grumbled under his breath as he stomped his way up the grand staircase and down the hallway to his suite of rooms, causing Wu Dao to grin again.

"Awfully whiny for a King," he whispered to Yao Yao, causing her to snort in a very undignified way. He sighed, "Ah, it's been so long since there was any laughter in this house. It's nice to hear again. I know, it sounds odd coming from me, but I've missed your humor."

Yao Yao smiled brightly, "no, I don't think it's odd. In fact, I expect it more coming from you. Yu Die was your joy, and...well, you lost her. It's only natural to look for a reason to smile."

Wu Dao raised an eyebrow, "You know, you're very observant...for a human."

Yao Yao rolled her eyes, "I'm observant for _anyone_ , not just a human." She joked as they came to her room and the Head of House opened a magnificent set of double-doors.

"Your room, madame. Please, do not hesitate to let the staff know if there is anything you need," the man said with a bow.

Yao Yao gasped as she got her first look at her room, "Are you sure this is mine?" She squeaked. To say the room was _luxurious_ was the greatest understatement of the century. Directly in the center of the room stood a massive round bed made up with deep and sensuously soft-looking blankets of ivory and gold, embroidered in a beautiful dusky red-orange. The bed was piled high with a half-dozen pillows and draped with gauzy curtains of a deep bronze that added an ethereal look to the bed. Along the left wall stood two impressive armoires of a deep red wood; between them was nestled a vanity mirror that matched them perfectly. On the far wall, there was an enormous window with a box seat and curtains of a deep bronze velvet that were offset by the pure ivory of the cushions that lined the window seat. Finally, lining the wall to the right were a number of comfortable-looking high-backed benches that perfectly matched the bed's ivory-and-gold theme.

The Head of House smirked slightly, "Of course, Ma'am. Please, let us know if you need anything at all."

Yao Yao gulped, "I'll be sure to do that, thank you," she gasped, desperately trying to regain her dignity and maturity."

Wu Dao smiled, "Well, I wanted you to be as comfortable as possible while you recover, so I texted ahead to be sure your room would be ready. I hope it's to your liking?"

Yao Yao swallowed hard, half expecting to choke on her tongue, "I...Wu Dao, this...Wow."

He chuckled, "I'm pleased that you like it. Supper will be at five-thirty this evening. We will be having vegetarian meals, unfortunately, until we are both fully healed."

Yao Yao grinned and nodded, "That's fine with me; I don't mind not eating meat." Wu Dao inclined his head graciously before backing out of the room and closing the door quietly. Yao Yao waited a moment to be sure he'd left before walking carefully to the bed and climbing onto the mountain of blankets, bouncing as much as she dared without irritating her chest. Grinning like a child, she muttered to herself, "Oh, I should get my heart cut out more often if this is how I get paid for it. I think I'm quite going to enjoy myself."

***Author's Note***

I know, it's a bit on the short side, but some serious stuff is going to happen next chapter, so it's going to be a bit on the longer side. As ever, thank you for reading! You all give me so much comfort. Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


	24. Chapter 24

***Author's Note***

I know, I haven't been updating this as frequently as I should be, nor as often as I'd like. I'm sorry; job hunting hasn't been going well, so all of my time has been focused on that. But at long last, today I found a couple of hours to write! The plot, as they say, thickens! Enjoy, my lovelies!

***End Note***

For the next two weeks, Yao Yao thoroughly enjoyed herself and her newfound life of luxury. However, the only downside she had discovered was the complete lack of privacy. Yes, she was receiving three five-star meals every single day – not to mention any other foods that she might find herself craving – any yes, she could go wherever she wanted – so long as she stayed on the estate grounds – and the clothes she was given were of the finest quality and the newest trends. But she was _never_ alone. She always had four conspicuously armed guards following her wherever she went. And Heaven help her if she should do anything whatsoever to "strain" herself, and her guards were right there to "keep her safe". Which usually mean such humiliating things as _lifting_ bodily into the saddle when she wanted a ride – she had picked up horseback riding during her backward jaunt into history and never given it up – or picking up the smallest thing that she may have dropped so she wouldn't have to bend over herself. They were so ridiculous that they looked very nervous, indeed when she tried to cut up her own food, and only the darkest glares from her and snarled half-threats kept them from seizing the utensils from her hands and doing it _for_ her! It was intensely irritating. She knew that they were simply under orders to keep her safe and to keep her from overexerting herself, but this was getting out of hand. As of this morning, her chest almost didn't hurt at all, and she felt better than she had in...well, _ever_ , to be precise. She felt stronger and more physically powerful than she ever had before. Also...was it her imagination, or was her vision clearer, too? It seemed like the air was full of colors she had never seen before, and the colors she _was_ used to were brighter than ever before. Yao Yao shook her head, allowing her feet to wander where they would in the mansion, listening to the ever-present footfalls behind her. _Huh. I can hear them breathing_ , she realized with a start. _More than that, I...I think I can hear their hearts_ _ **beating**_ _!_

Suddenly, Yao Yao wasn't so sure she liked this whole thing. Either she was imagining things, or she was changing – and in ways she wasn't entirely sure she was comfortable with! All at once, Yao Yao felt like she needed air. Fresh, undiluted air, and at the highest rate of speed she could think of. She turned on her heel and sprinted past her astonished guards, running faster than she had in her entire life. Faster than should have been possible, Yao Yao was at the stables, saddling her favorite stallion, a lovely dapple that stood at a staggering seventeen hands. He had intelligent eyes, and stood patiently while she saddled him – though he seemed to be picking up on her need to feel the wind in her face, as his tailed was whipping restlessly through the air. Her guards had caught up to her, panting, and stood watching her warily from the stable doors. At last, she had tightened the last strap and had just lifted her foot to place it in the stirrup when she felt someone take her elbow to hold her back.

This was the final straw, and her temper snapped. " _Damn_ it," she bellowed. "I do _not_ need a babysitter! I can get myself into the saddle, and I do _not_ need to be lifted like an invalid!" The guard said nothing and only smirked at her as though he found her temper cute. Her vision flooded with red and she yanked her arm away from the man, then struck out at him as hard as she could, her fist clenched tight. She connected squarely in the center of the man's chest – and to her utter astonishment, he went _flying_. He was flung against the wall of the barn, which shuddered at the impact, and slid down to the straw-covered floor, where he lay quite unconscious. Without a second thought, Yao Yao flung herself into the saddle and urged the beast into a hard gallop past the other three guards, who were staring at their unconscious comrade with the vague expressions of stunned oxen, and did not stop until she felt like she could breathe again.

Wu Dao leaned in towards his brother, his brow furrowed, "So. What do you think Jaw Long's end game was this time around? He clearly targeted Ding Yao, but why not target one of us?"

Wen Tian raised an eyebrow and gave his brother a dumbfounded look, "Well, there's the first reason, which is a pretty obvious one: he was trying to hurt us. And since everyone knows _your_ love is dead, he figured the best way to hurt us was to hurt _me_ , and the easiest way to do that would be to kill Yao Yao. However, given that he knows of the poison, then it goes to figure that he would know that there is a cure, but it is possible he doesn't know what the cure _is_ , only that it has only worked on Dragons – until now. Given those factors, the obvious choice would be to use the poison on Yao Yao, not you or me. So, I figure he'd use it on her to incapacitate me, and through me, hurt you badly enough that it would make you easier to take out permanently."

Wu Dao listened to his brother's words with a frown and a furrowed brow, "I don't like how much he knows about us. And I _definitely_ don't know how it is he managed to get at us while we were at the tomb. If we can figure out which of our guards got Jaw Long's assassin into the throne room, we can figure out who gave him access to our father's tomb, and the information that we found Yao Yao. I think it is wise that only Ding Yao, her father, the Physician, you, and I know the truth of what this cure is. We at the very least know that none of us are the traitors, or Jaw Long would be here en force already."

Wen Tian nodded and chewed at his lip in thought, "I agree, and I think it must be one of the guards. I have a few theories, myself; but we should definitely be looking at newer recruits. I think just by rote the recruit that saved your life should be out of the running; why would he save you, just to kill you later?"

Wu Dao nodded, "I agree. The logic doesn't make sense. Granted, we could be wrong, but for the time being, I don't think we should focus on him. We need to be very careful and incredibly discreet while we look into this situation. Think about it, and let me know who you have zero doubt of; people in the guards that you know without a doubt that we can trust, and we can have them start looking into it as well."

Wen Tian nodded and opened his mouth to reply when the door burst open and four armed guards burst in, two of them supporting a third while the fourth held the door open for the other three. Wu Dao's eyes narrowed to mere slits as the men stood warily before their King, "What are you four doing here," he asked in a dangerously quiet voice, "You are _supposed_ to be watching Ding Yao."

The unencumbered guard shifted his feet nervously and scratched his head, "Well, yes Your Majesty. I mean, we _were_ Your Majesty, but...well, she sort of... _escaped_."

Wu Dao's eyebrows winged up as Wen Tian smothered a laugh, "See? Told you she'd hate being followed everywhere. Told you she'd give them the slip eventually."

Wu Dao silenced his brother with a withering glare, "And _how_ , exactly, did a _human girl_ overpower and outdistanced _four_ of my finest guards? Oh, don't tell me. Did she sprout wings?" This time, Wen Tian was unable to smother and amused snort.

The guard shifted again and rubbed his shoulder in irritation and embarrassment, "Well, Your Majesty...I don't entirely understand what happened. Only that Liang over there tried to help her onto her horse – you know, to keep her from straining herself, like you ordered – then all of a sudden, she was screaming at him. Now, that I would understand since she seems like a very strong-willed woman, but..." His voice seemed to fail him.

"But _what_?" Growled Wu Dao.

The guard plucked up his courage again and continued, "Well, Your Majesty, she...well, she _hit_ him, Your Majesty."

Now it was Wu Dao's turn to snort, but in derision. "Is _that_ all? Are you complaining that a _human girl_ hit you? I thought you were all made of sterner stuff than that."

The guard frowned, "No, Your Majesty you don't seem to understand. She sent Liang flying. The entire barn shook when he hit the wall, Your Majesty. He's been in _that_ condition" he pointed at the semi-conscious guard "ever since. We had to half-carry him up here, Your Majesty."

Wu Dao's eyes widened in shock, then his brow furrowed in thought and exchanged a very significant glance with Wen Tian. "I see," he said. "Very well. Make sure Liang is taken care of; my brother and I will find Ding Yao ourselves. Not a word of this to _anyone_."

The guard started to bow, "But Your Majesty, how will you.."

"You have your orders," Wu Dao said coolly, "Do not make me tell you twice."

The guards snapped to attention as best they could, given that two of them were heavily encumbered with Liang, and left the room, closing the door behind them. Wen Tian let out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Well. That was...unexpected. Lucky for us, I think I know where she may have gone."

***Author's Note***

Not quite as long a chapter as I wanted to write, but at least there's something interesting going on, eh? Hope you enjoyed, and that bits were at least a bit chuckle-worthy. As ever, thank you so much for reading! Lots of love!

\- Lady Darkwind


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